Two Miners Die in West Georgia
By Tea Mariamidze
Monday, June 4
Two miners Sandro Butskhrikidze and Rezo Lomtadze died on Saturday morning in West Georgia’s Tkibuli coal mine, belonging to a daughter company of Georgian Industrial Group, Saknakhshiri.
In early April, 2018, Saknakhshiri Mindeli coal mine in Tkibuli claimed the lives of 6 miners and left 3 severely injured. On May 9, 2017 four miners died in the same mine while repairing a freight elevator. In October, Mindeli mine killed the miner Davit Porchkhidze.
As reported by unverified sources, the workers died from air conditioning failure.
Media reports that at first, one miner was working at the site and when he did not appear, another miner entered the 30 meter-long mine to assist him, but suffocated.
An investigation has been launched into the case under the second part of Article 240 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which implies a violation of safety rules in mining, construction or other works. The offense envisages up to 5 years of imprisonment.
The other workers told media that a special air compressor was not working in the mine which was the reason of the tragedy. They say that safety norms were not properly observed at the site.
After the bodies were removed from the mine, they were transferred to Kutaisi forensic bureau for autopsy. Afterwards, the deceased were transported to their homes in Kisoreti village, Tkibuli Municipality.
The exact cause of the incident will be known after the investigation is over.
In total, 13 miners died only in Tkibuli mines in the last two years. The total number of deceased miners has amounted to 28 since 2010.
