Story By: Ana Lacasa, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
Video Credit:CEN
This is the moment a mine worker plunges through a partially-collapsing roof and into a 900-degree coal oven where he burnt to death.
The tragic incident took place at a mining company located in the San Faustino area, in the municipality of Cucuta, in the northeastern Colombian department of Norte de Santander and was recorded by the CCTV camera.
In the video, a 52-year-old man named by local newspaper La Opinion as Jairo Leon Cardenas can be seen walking on the roof of the mine where was reportedly carrying coal.
As he approaches the end of the roof he suddenly drops from sight after the roof reportedly partially collapsed.
A plume of smoke then rises from the hole he fell down and into a brick oven combusting coal at around 800-900 degrees Celsius.
La Opinion report his son, who was working with him, and other workers rushed to stop the oven but the victim died immediately due to the extreme temperatures.
The exact cause of death is under investigation and the victim’s body was rescued with the help of volunteer firefighters who attended the emergency and helped to make the oven colder.
The body of the victim was sent to forensic investigators for DNA testing.
Local media report Cardenas had been carrying coal to the upper windows of the oven when the roof collapsed.
His widow told reporters her husband was a very hard-worker who left home at 4 am to go to work before returning in the evenings.
He had been working at the mine for three years while his son, whose name has not been reported, had been there for two months. The son is said to be in shock at the accident.
An investigation into the case is ongoing.
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