One miner has died and nine injured after a ground tremor in the Polkowice-Sieroszowice mine in Lower Silesia, southern Poland.

The tremor measured 3.0 on the Richter scale and occurred at 03.00 CET causing rocks to fall on the miners.

“This kind of tremor can be compared to a lsmall underground explosion. Rocks fly like shrapnel,” said Dariusz Wyborski, spokesman for KGHM, one of the largest producers of copper and owner of Polkowice- Sieroszowice mine.

As many as 14 miners were underground at the time of the accident and nine of them were injured. The men were hospitalized and their condition is described as stable.

For several hours a rescue team tried to reach the miner who was trapped 1,000 metres underground but when they found him was already dead. (mg/pg)

Source: IAR, PAP