Januzi: The first miner has come out of Trepça, the other groups are coming out too

The head of the Trepça Miners’ Union, Ibrahim Januzi, told RTK that the miners had been trapped on the levels of the mine in Stanterg after a fault in the electricity system.

Januzi said the fault occurred at around 19:30, as a result of high-voltage lines burning and a fault at the substation of the first tunnel.

According to him, some of the miners have begun to come out through alternative exits, while the first miner has already managed to get out of the mine.

“The first miner, according to my information, has managed to get out, and we hope the other groups are coming out too,” Januzi said.

He said there is communication with the miners through an inductive-wire telephone line and that their condition is stable.

“For the moment their condition is stable, there is no cause for concern,” Januzi said, adding that one miner is reported to have a leg problem, which could make it difficult for him to walk out.

Januzi said that, according to information from the scene and communication with the management, the line supplying the mine does not appear to have major faults and could be repaired in a shorter time.

He stressed that the faults in the flotation section do not pose an obstacle to bringing the miners out, as they are not connected to the lift used to transport them from the mine.

The union head criticised the lack of investment and the outdated state of the equipment, saying such cases have occurred before.

“Unfortunately, the lack of investment and the badly outdated substations are often leaving them trapped,” Januzi said.

According to him, the lack of another alternative for power supply is leaving miners trapped for hours, describing the situation as a risk to their lives and health.