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Hopes of miners' survival dim

As night progressed, officials gave up hope of any survivor in the mine tragedy near Dhanbad in Jharkhand on Friday afternoon.

Fortyfive miners were trapped in mine eight of the Bagdigi mines of Dhanbad district, but eight came out to safety.

Unofficial sources said the toll could be higher.

Officials fear that those trapped about 1200 feet deep may not be rescued though high power pump sets have been rushed into the spot to suck out water from a tank that burst.

Those inside the mine at the time of the accident included mine manager A K Upadhyaya and assistant manager P A Singh.

The mine belongs to the Bharat Cooking Coal Limited, a subsidiary of the Coal India Limited.

Since telephone lines have snapped, no contact was possible with those trapped.

About 60 miners lost their lives in a similar accident at Ghaslitand on September 30, 1995 and 400 in Chas Nala on December 28, 1975. In both places, water flooded the mines.

As dynamite is used for mining coal, explosions triggered by it some times causes huge cracks or holes, forcing water in from nearby tanks or rivers.

EARLIER REPORT
39 miners trapped in Dhanbad

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