Polish Coal Miner Dies Following Methane Fire

A coal miner has died, and several others were injured following a methane fire at the Knurow-Szczyglowice colliery in southern Poland, hospital authorities confirmed on Thursday, January 25. The incident occurred on Wednesday, January 24, roughly 850 meters (2,800 feet) underground when methane ignited, injuring 16 miners.

Nine workers sustained severe burns and were transferred to a specialist hospital in Siemianowice Slaskie, where one miner later succumbed to his injuries, according to hospital spokesperson Wojciech Smetek. Five other injured miners received treatment at various facilities, and the condition of those hospitalized remains under observation.

The Knurow-Szczyglowice colliery, a significant producer of metallurgical coal for Poland’s steelmaking industry, produces 4 to 4.5 million tonnes annually. The incident is likely to disrupt operations, potentially affecting the domestic steel supply chain.

This tragedy marks the fourth fire-related mining accident globally in the past seven months, collectively impacting up to 16 million tonnes of annual coking coal production worldwide. It also highlights the increasing risks associated with extracting deeper coal reserves under challenging conditions. Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing.