Halemba Coal Mine
50º 14' 27'' N 18º 51' 21'' E
South
Poland
Description
The Halemba coal mine is a large mine in the south of Poland in Halemba district of Ruda Śląska, Silesian Voivodeship, 273 km south-west of the capital, Warsaw.
Extracted Materials
Halemba represents one of the largest coal reserves in Poland, having estimated reserves of 120 million tonnes of coal. The annual coal production is around 3.36 million tonnes.
Antropological info
In a mining explosion in November 2006, 23 miners died. A similar accident happened in 1990, when 19 miners died, and 20 were injured. The explosion happened 21 November, 16:30 Polish time, at depth 1030m. The rescue action was hindered due to high concentration of methane and high temperature. The cause of explosion was reported to be ignition of methane.
Sociologal info
On 21 November 2006 in the Halemba coal mine, Ruda Śląska, a mass industrial accident occurred.. Post-mortem examinations of the deceased were carried out in Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Silesia, and in some cases additional dissecting techniques were employed. Photographs were taken as well as numerous specimens for various laboratory tests were collected. Toxicological analyses of blood samples revealed high levels of carboxyhaemoglobin saturation in seventeen cases, and detected presence of methane in the lungs of seven individuals, whereas microscopic specimens mainly showed lesions characteristic of putrefaction. The post-mortem procedures eventually allowed to establish the cause of death of all victims.
Archaeological info
Halemba Power Station was a 4 x 50 MW subcritical coal-fueled power plant in Poland. The construction of the plant began in 1943, organized by Nazi German administration of occupied Poland, and using forced labor from the Auschwitz Concentration Camp. After the war the plant was finished by the authorities in the People's Republic of Poland, and started operation in 1962-1963. Since 2006 it has reduced operation, and was decommissioned on April 1, 2012.
