Two miners perished under coal blockage in Georgia

Two miners perished under a blockage in the mine named after Mindeli in Tkibuli. Tamaz Dolaberidze, Chairman of Trade Union of workers of metallurgical, mining and chemical industry, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the supposed case of the blockage was shaking of a coal massif as a result of an earthquake.

"According to our data, the earthquake was caused by shove in the earth material. We contacted representatives of the miners' trade union in Tkibuli. They said that according to the workers themselves, no explosions could be heard before the blockage. So, the probability of natural cause of the blockage is really great", Dolaberidze said.

At the moment he together with representatives of United Trade Unions of Georgia is starting for Tkibuli to estimate the situation on-site, therefore Tamaz Dolaberidze is not going an announce the ultimate expert opinion till evening.

"Saknakhshiri" company developing the coal mine expressed its condolence to the families of the two miners who perished in the coal-face on November, 6. A special committee will be created to find out the cause of the accident, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports. According to Tamaz Dolaberidze, there had been no claims from the workers on "Saknakhshiri" management before.

"A trade union which is part of United Trade Unions of Georgia works freely in Mindeli mine. There have been no alarm signals from the members of the trade union before about either work environment or salary", Dolaberidze said.