Two miners were rescued after being isolated in a 190-meter underground mine for 221 hours due to the collapse of a zinc mine in Gyeongsangbuk-do.
Although they were isolated for 221 hours in the 190-meter underground mine, their health is relatively good because they did not panic even in a crisis situation and acted according to the manual in case of emergency and waited for rescue. At 6 p.m. on the 26th of last month, minors quickly evacuated to a spacious underground space about 30m away from the work section when soil and sand flooded in with a roar 190m underground point where he was working. In the event of a collapse in a mine, the manual was faithfully implemented to evacuate to the side where air comes in and water flows out to secure space and wait. There was no emergency food, but I waited for the rescue while eating mixed coffee and water flowing down from the rock wall that I took when I entered the mine. Coffee mix is high in calories and contains various nutrients, which are often used by hikers as drinks and emergency food. This is because the coffee mix, which costs 40 to 50 kcal per package, includes sodium, carbohydrates, sugars, and fats, and contains all the nutrients necessary to maintain body temperature in extreme situations. It is also light as 10g per package, making it easy to carry. In August 2017, in Busan, police officers saved lives by feeding coffee mix powder to low blood sugar patients.
The underground space was cool at around 13 degrees Celsius and wet to the floor, but it was also possible to withstand extreme situations by laying boards, covering moisture and cold, and burning bonfires with pieces of wood to maintain body temperature. Miners did not just wait for help from the outside. He also actively attempted to escape on his own by collecting gunpowder, detonating rock walls, and digging soil nearly 10 meters with a pickaxe.
It was very helpful to drink mixed coffee and water, but it would have been difficult to maintain life even if the rescue was only three to four days late. The wise judgment of a veteran miner who waited for rescue without being pessimistic about the situation after evacuating according to long work experience and usual emergency rules was the decisive driving force for safe recovery.
References
Lee, Seungkyu. “‘기적을 마시는 느낌’ 광부 살린 커피믹스 열풍.” 조선일보, 7 Nov. 2022, https://www.chosun.com/national/incident/2022/11/07/4B4ZXEXK4VBDLDIAJCNHL2W4OM/?utm_source=naver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=naver-news.
Choi, Sangwon. “그 시커먼 221시간...커피믹스와 흐르는 물로 버텼다.” 한겨레 바로가기, 6 Nov. 2022, https://www.hani.co.kr/arti/area/yeongnam/1065988.html.
Writer: Grace Jun
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