On this day in 1965, 128 miners died in the Kakanj mine

51 years ago, a powerful methane explosion occurred in the "Orasi" shaft of RMU Kakanj, which directly or indirectly killed 128 workers, injured 20 more, and left 88 unharmed.

The publication "Mining Disaster, June 7, 1965" states that, judging by the mechanical destruction and collapse in the "Orasi" shaft, it can be concluded that the center of the methane explosion was in preparatory drift number 207. This drift was destroyed along its entire length, the partition was demolished, and the machinery and electrical installations were damaged. From this drift, the air blast spread through the connecting tunnel into drift number 206, destroying the intersection and causing significant damage in the main and ventilation tunnels, approximately 400m west and 300m east of the intersection.

The commission could not determine with certainty what caused the methane explosion at workplace number 207 because it was destroyed and filled with gas, making it impossible to thoroughly examine the condition of the installed electrical equipment, cables, batteries, switches, and other items that could indicate the immediate cause of the methane ignition and explosion.

The possibility that the methane ignition and explosion was caused by: a faulty safety gasoline lamp; or improper handling of a functional one; a faulty safety battery cap lamp; faulty electrical devices and installations; or the use of smoking accessories is not excluded.

It is believed that the explosion was preceded by methane ignition. This is indicated by the fact that the work suit of the worker who was in the immediate vicinity of the connecting tunnel in preparatory workplace number 206 was completely burned, and his body was largely carbonized. Ignition must have occurred in his immediate vicinity because only there are traces of burning visible.

The insufficient awareness of workers regarding the function and use of self-rescuers contributed to the scale of the disaster. Workers from the excavation sites (around 140), led by foremen and supervisors, not only chose the completely wrong direction of retreat but also passed by an open storage area containing 91 self-rescuers, and not a single one was used, despite their purpose being precisely to help miners pass through areas poisoned by carbon monoxide.

In the hundred-year history of the "Kakanj" Mine, three major mining accidents have occurred, in which a total of 274 workers – miners died. Two in the "Stara jama" (Old Shaft): in 1916 (19 dead) and in 1934 (127 dead), and one in the "Orasi" shaft in 1965 (128 dead), writes NAP.