The Russian Government
The Head EMERCOM of Russia Sergey Shoigu reported that it is planned to start up ventilation in the “Raspadskaya” mine on Wednesday, at 10:00 in the morning. “The strategy has been worked out, we plan to start up ventilation of the main bore at 10:00 tomorrow morning (local time), but it will be conducted in the subvolume, in order to let the rescuers to some areas of the mine,” he said.
According to the Minister, “the time of serious engineering and tactics decisions has come for further works in the mine.” “This is mainly due to the fact that there is still concentration of methane in some places,” explained the Head EMERCOM of Russia.
He noted, that due to the difficulty, smokiness, remoteness of access it is not possible to get to the main place of work of the miners. “There were two fires at this place, therefore there are debris at both sides which need clearing up,” said Sergey Shoigu. He noted that time is needed for that. “At the same time, the volume of respirators of the rescuers, even when they have two or three of them leaves little time for work,” stressed the Head EMERCOM of Russia. He clarified that “the ventilation will be started up not at its full power and not along the whole bore of the mine.” “Full power of the ventilation is 24.4 thousand cubic meters. We must start up about 6 thousand cubic meters,” explained Sergey Shoigu.
The Minister reported that the works are being conducted in all directions. “Nine subdivisions of rescuers are under the ground now,” he said.
Sergey Shoigu noted that in one of the most difficult places with the 48 hours time limit due to the threat of flooding, half the way was passed. “There are 3.4 km ahead. According to the additional research of geologists and other specialists, there are 7 days since the water depression pump stopped; three days have already passed,” reported the Head EMERCOM of Russia. There is only one day till the limiting concentration of methane in another area according to the specialists. This is the area where there were the majority of workers and where the rescuers still cannot get. “At present, mountain rescuers with fire extinguishers are working there as there is no water but it is necessary to put down fire in different areas,” noted Shoigu.
“Ventilation startup is a very difficult technical decision, it was thought over by scientists, specialists, miners with practical experience and rescuers,” added the minister.
Talking about the rescuers who went under the ground into the mine after the explosion, Sergey Shoigu said that “during an explosion, the violation of remote systems of defining the gas concentration in the mine occurs.” The Minister reminded, there were 359 people inside the mine at that time. “The function of the rescuers is to help people out of the mine, to save the injured. According to the Rules of the mountain rescuers, the intelligence staff and the gas analyzers go first. According to the gas situation, they report to the others if they can go further,” said Sergey Shoigu. He said that 9 subdivisions of rescuers who went into the mine straight after the explosion managed to help some of the miners out.
“Unfortunately, four hours later after the first explosion there was the second as a result of which some of the mountain rescuers perished,” said Shoigu.
“Risking lives for the sake of saving other people is part of the rescuers’ job,” added Sergey Shoigu.
