A shocking tragedy in Polish mining. At the Pniówek mine, owned by Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa (JSW), a methane and rock outburst killed two experienced miners. President of the Republic of Poland Karol Nawrocki expressed deep sympathy to the victims’ families, offering condolences via social media.
The incident occurred on Monday afternoon, 22 December, at a depth of 1,000 metres underground, in heading N-9, where a ventilation roadway was being driven. Ten miners were working in the area. Eight of them were safely evacuated, but contact was lost with two employees, aged 40 and 41 and with many years of experience, after a sudden gas release. The rescue operation, involving two teams of rescuers from the Central Mining Rescue Station in Bytom, lasted nearly seven hours. The rescuers reached the injured after six hours of searching, but the doctor who arrived at the scene confirmed their deaths.
As JSW services reported, the methane release was so intense that it prevented immediate assistance. The miners who died were residents of the Silesia region and left behind families. This is another tragedy at the Pniówek mine, which has previously suffered similar disasters: in April 2022, a series of methane explosions there killed ten people and injured several dozen. The current incident once again highlights the risks associated with hard coal mining in conditions of high methane hazard.
President Karol Nawrocki responded to the tragic news shortly after it was announced. In a post published on the X platform, he wrote: “I received with great sadness the news of the tragic death of two miners from the Pniówek Mine. Expressing my deepest sympathy, I join the Families and Loved Ones of the deceased in grief and prayer.”
JSW’s management and the Higher Mining Authority (WUG) have announced an immediate investigation into the causes of the tragedy. Specialists are analysing whether technical factors or natural geological hazards contributed to the incident. The Pniówek mine, located in the commune of Pawłowice, is one of the key producers of coking coal in Polish mining.
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