Emergency Press Conference in Kakanj: Preliminary Information Indicates Rock Killed Four Miners

At a press conference held at the Kakanj mine management office, regarding the tragedy at the Begići-Bištrani pit, journalists were addressed by Federal Mining Inspector Ferid Osmanović, the director of Elektroprivreda BiH Bajazit Jašarević, Federal Prime Minister Fadil Novalić, and acting director of the Kakanj Mine Kasim Alajbegović, reports a reporter from the Patria news agency.  

Ferid Osmanović, the Federal Mining Inspector, announced the official preliminary findings from the investigation.

-The mining accident in the Begić pit occurred after 1 a.m., at a depth of approximately 105 meters below the surface. There were 28 miners in the pit. Two were assigned to external tasks. At the construction site itself, which was working on building a mining chamber for a transformer station, 7 miners were working. After a sudden roof collapse, a rock fell directly onto the workers who were there. The rockfall resulted in 4 deceased workers and two injured.

According to information, rescue team operations were carried out by a trained rescue unit to provide assistance to those who were not directly endangered.

Both the deceased and the injured were brought out of the pit. The pit is currently not operational, and investigative actions are underway to determine the cause of the accident, Osmanović stated.  

Kasim Alajbegović, who assumed the position of acting director of the mine yesterday, said that the deceased left behind wives and five children.

-The accident occurred in a pit that is not an extraction pit, next to a transport corridor, near the third chamber that was being built, Alajbegović emphasized.

Bajazit Jašarević expressed condolences to the families on behalf of EP BiH.  

-In the first 40 days of work at EP BiH, we agreed on a concept of support for mines in F BiH, which would entail an emergency aid program for developing an investment plan for mines, in order to bring all mines in the concern to positive operations. I want to emphasize that safety is a priority and this concept has no alternative. The program needs to be efficiently refined, and within six months to a year, the mines will have a new look, Jašarević stated.