The inspectors find indications of illegal extraction of coal at the Cerredo mine where five workers died | Spain

The inspectors of the Principality of Asturias have found “indications of irregular coal extraction” in the Cerredo mine, as reported by the Minister of Ecological Transition, Industry and Commerce, Belarmina Díaz, who has appeared before the Asturian Parliament to inform of the accident and research that is going. The investigations have revealed the existence of two holes of more than 18 and 24 meters in length on the third floor of the exploitation, the place where last March 31 There was an explosion that ended the life of five miners and caused serious injuries to four.

In the visit that the inspectors made last Tuesday inside the mine, “indications of irregularities and activities that did not adjust” were detected, which in no case allow the Blue Solving company to extraction of coal from the third level, as reported by the counselor. Two holes were discovered, one of 18.2 meters and another of 24.6 meters, with an approximate height of about 25 to 30 meters and about 80 centimeters of width, according to a visual estimate and that, in the absence of confirming, they could indicate that there was an “irregular extraction of coal”.

“If confirmed in the future, we will demand that Blue Solving assume all responsibilities because it would not be only an administrative breach, but of a legal irregularity with lethal consequences, of A very high risk activity that endangered workers’ lives”, Said Díaz.

After 11 days from the explosion that caused the largest mining accident in Asturias in three decades, the counselor has assured that « what happened cannot and will not be unpunished and will reach the end to know what happened, without sparing media or resources. » Díaz has denied that the Asturian government has not acted transparently and has assured that « a minute has not been lost » when carrying out inspections, meeting with technicians and experts or in the « maximum collaboration » with the Prosecutor’s Office, Civil Guard and the Court that takes the case.

In this regard, he pointed out that on April 4 an administrative file was initiated to Blue Solving before the “irregularities detected in the first field visit”, which took place on the same day of the accident, and that they have requested from the General Inspection of Services that evaluates the Minas Service of the Ministry of Industry.