At least 12 workers have been killed after a section of an under-construction tunnel collapsed following a methane gas explosion in India’s north-eastern state of Sikkim, officials said.
Rescue teams are continuing efforts to locate 13 workers who remain trapped inside the tunnel after Monday’s accident.
According to the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the collapse occurred approximately 1.5 kilometres (0.9 miles) inside the tunnel.
Methane Gas Explosion Triggered Collapse
The tunnel, which is being built to channel water from the Teesta River to the turbines of a hydropower plant, forms part of a major infrastructure project being developed by the state-owned National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC).
In a statement, NHPC said the accident occurred after “a sudden burst of suspected methane gas trapped/embedded inside the rocks which led to [an] explosion generating dense fumes and toxic gases.”
The Sikkim government separately confirmed that the collapse resulted from “methane gas combustion.”
Methane is a naturally occurring underground gas that can ignite or explode when released into confined spaces and exposed to an ignition source.
Officials said 27 workers were inside different sections of the tunnel when the explosion occurred.
While two workers escaped, the remaining 25 were trapped. Superintendent of Police Sonam D. Bhutia told the BBC on Wednesday:
“Of the 25 people who were trapped, we have recovered 12 bodies so far, and teams are working to locate the 13 other men.”
The NDRF said rescue operations are currently focused on a 200-metre section of the tunnel where the missing workers are believed to be located.
Police have identified seven of the 12 victims recovered so far. One was from Sikkim, while the others were migrant workers from West Bengal, Uttarakhand and Assam.
Authorities said post-mortem examinations will determine the exact causes of death.
Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang has ordered a special investigation into the incident. Speaking to reporters, he said:
“We have engaged a team of experts to find out what exactly happened and how. We will take action on the basis of the findings.”
Rescue efforts remain ongoing as authorities continue searching for the workers still believed to be trapped inside the collapsed tunnel.
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