A structural failure recently killed multiple mine employees.
Emergency responders recovered bodies of three workers who were fatally injured in an underground collapse on 10 March 2023.
About 8am local time the trio were inspecting an “interior area” about 900 metres beneath the surface when the tunnel caved in at ICL Group’s Cabanasses de Suria mine, 80km northwest of Barcelona.
Work was suspended and a total of 240 employees were evacuated from the scene. The rescue crew took several hours to reach the Spaniards who were aged 31, 29 and 28 – none survived.
“The company’s board of directors sincerely laments the accident, and sends its deepest regrets and offer of support to the victims’ families, co-workers and friends,” the proponent said according to the Associated Press.
Mine employee Carlos Arnaldo revealed the failed section was only built a “few days ago”. The mine had earlier passed safety inspections.
“Checks were regular [and] the last one was three weeks ago,” Catalonia regional head of business Roger Torrent said according to the newswire agency.
Catalan regional president Pere Aragones expressed sympathy for affected loved ones, and launched both an official investigation and judicial probe into the incident.
