WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Two Polish coal miners remained unaccounted for and at least 17 were injured when a tremor struck the Rydultowy coal mine deep underground on Thursday, officials said. An earthquake was registered in that part of Poland at the time.
Seventy-six miners were brought to the surface, including 17 who were hospitalized immediately after the quake. One of them, with head injuries, was airlifted to a major hospital in the city of Katowice, officials said. Some of the injured were later discharged from the hospital.
Twenty specialized teams were taking part in the rescue operation in difficult conditions underground, authorities said.
Rescuers received signal from a location device of one of the unaccounted for miners and were trying to reach him, while searching also for the other one, said Damian Borgieł, a director at the Polish Coal Mining Groups, which operates the mine.
The cause of the tremor at about 1,200 meters (4,000 feet) below the surface and its immediate effects inside the mine were not immediately clear.
Spokeswoman for the mining group Aleksandra Wysocka-Siembiga said the accident took place at 8:16 a.m. The Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Center noted a magnitude 3.1 earthquake in southern Poland near the Rydultowy mine at that time.
Officials initially said that 68 miners were in the area at the time, but later raised that number to 78.
Łukasz Pach, head of the ambulance service in Katowice, the mining region's main city, said the hospitalized miners were in stable condition.
Mass rock tremors in coal mines resulting from stress building in the rock can lead to rock bursts, or sudden ejections of rocks into the corridors and tunnels that can be dangerous to miners in the area.
The Polish Coal Mining Group has suffered several deadly accidents this year.
In May, three miners died in a cave-in at the Myslowice-Wesola colliery, and one was killed at the same mine in April.
Two miners lost their lives in the Rydultowy mine in separate accidents in 2019 and 2020.
Opened in 1792, the Rydultowy mine currently employs about 2,000 miners.
Coal mining is considered hazardous in Poland, where some coal mines are prone to methane gas explosions or to cave-ins. Excavation in older mines goes deep into the ground in search for coal, increasing the job's hazards. The coal industry is among Poland's key employers, providing some 75,000 jobs.
Last year, 15 miners lost their lives in accidents.
Associated Press writer Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen contributed to this report.
An ambulance heads into the Rydultowy coal mine near the city of Rybnik, in southern Poland, on Thursday, July 11, 2024. Officials say that two Polish coal miners remain unaccounted for and at least 15 have been injured after a powerful tremor shook the Rydultowy coal mine. Rescuers are struggling to reach dozens of others. (AP Photo/Katarzyna Zaremba-Majcher)
An airborne ambulance near the Rydultowy coal mine near the city of Rybnik, in southern Poland, on Thursday, July 11, 2024. Officials say that two Polish coal miners remain unaccounted for and at least 15 have been injured after a powerful tremor shook the Rydultowy coal mine. Rescuers are struggling to reach dozens of others. (AP Photo/Katarzyna Zaremba-Majcher)
CHICAGO (AP) — Joey Loperfido homered and Bowden Francis threw seven scoreless innings to help the Toronto Blue Jays shut out the Cubs 1-0 on Sunday.
Loperfido’s solo shot off Shota Imanaga (9-3) was all Toronto needed to end a two-game skid.
Francis (6-3) matched his longest career outing, set six days earlier against the Los Angeles Angels.
He was perfect the first time through the order but loaded the bases in the fourth. He escaped the jam by catching Dansby Swanson looking at a third strike. The right-hander allowed just one other baserunner the rest of the way and finished with three hits and seven strikeouts while walking none to win for the fourth time in six starts.
Chad Green, the last of three Blue Jays relievers, worked the ninth to secure the shutout and record his 13th save in as many chances.
Imanaga allowed four hits, walked one and struck out six in the first five innings. It was his first loss since June 21, a span of nine starts.
The crowd of 36,117 gave its loudest ovation to former Chicago Bears kicker Robbie Gould, who led the seventh-inning singalong with his children.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Blue Jays: SS Leo Jiménez got a day off after leaving Saturday’s game with right knee soreness.
Cubs: DH Seiya Suzuki took an Isaac Paredes foul ball off his shin while standing in the on-deck circle in the eighth but walked it off and remained in the lineup … LHP Jordan Wicks ( right oblique strain ) will start Tuesday for Triple-A Iowa and make at least one more rehab start before the club decides when to bring him back. He’s been on the 60-day injured list since June 15.
UP NEXT
Toronto will send RHP Kevin Gausman (11-8, 4.20 ERA) to the mound Monday night against visiting Cincinnati.
Cubs RHP Javier Assad (5-3, 3.19) is scheduled to open a three-game series against visiting Detroit on Tuesday night.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Bowden Francis throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)
Chicago Cubs' Dansby Swanson, left, throws to first base for an out during the third inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)
Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. grounds out during the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)
Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. falls as he throws out Chicago Cubs' Miguel Amaya at first base during the eighth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)
Chicago Cubs' Nico Hoerner, left, reacts after hitting a double during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)
Chicago Cubs' Shota Imanaga flips the ball to first base for an out during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)
Toronto Blue Jays' Addison Barger, right, throws to first base during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)
Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. makes a catch during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)
Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong pops out to Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)
Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Génesis Cabrera reacts after striking out Chicago Cubs' Isaac Paredes during the eighth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Bowden Francis throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)
