Vol. 72/No. 8      February 25, 2008

The cave-in was caused by a strong earthquake. That can happen because of tensions in the rock due to the excavation of iron ore. This one was so strong that it could be felt in the center of town. Rocks also fell on a machine driven by another miner, but he was not hurt.

“The company has failed completely with its safety work,” said Harry Rantakyrö, president of the Mineworkers Local 12 of the Metall union, in a phone interview. “It is not listening to miners with many years of experience.” Rantakyrö criticized the company for pressing too hard for production, which means that reinforcement work in the mine becomes insufficient. There is too little time to secure the galleries, or sections, after finishing excavation of one gallery, before blasting begins in the next, he said.

Last year between 130 and 150 accidents with falling rocks were reported in the Kiruna mine.

Rantakyrö said that the production speed has to be reevaluated, and new methods employed. “Nothing can be holy, even if it hurts profits,” he said. A few days after the fatal accident, another cave-in occurred. A truck was hit by falling rocks, but no one was hurt.

Company president Martin Ivert announced that a commission of inquiry would look into possible changes in excavation methods.
 
 
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