By DAVID KANDUZA –

. CHISHIMBA

MORE than 300 miners at Mopani Copper Mines Mindolo Shaft were on Friday afternoon trapped for three hours after a transformer caught fire and exploded at 4180 metres underground.
Cries of despair and anger were heard from the underground mine as power got cut and water started flowing into the mine.
The affected were day shift miners and were trapped from around 14:00 hours to 18:00 hours when they were rescued.
Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ) president, Nkole Chishimba who confirmed the accident to the Sunday Times yesterday said no casualties occurred during the incident.
Mr Chishimba, however, said most victims were admitted to Wusakaile Mine Hospital and some were discharged on Friday night and yesterday morning.
The MUZ president said he was still waiting for information from Mopani management on what could have caused the accident.
Efforts to get a comment from Mopani Copper Mines officials failed as their Central offices were closed for business yesterday and their phones were switched off.
But a check by the Sunday Times at the hospital found some victims admitted to the hospital.
Stephen Chishimba, a contractor at the mine who is one of the victims admitted to the hospital recounted his ordeal on how he and his workmates ran into thick, black, choking smoke on 4180 metres underground.
“I am the luckiest man in the world. I am alive. I have come out of that nightmare. I cannot believe that all this has happened in such a short time.
“I heard a big bang then, I smelled fumes – but only slightly. I don’t think I gave them much attention at the time. Suddenly the smoke and fumes were intense. It was almost impossible to breathe.
“We signalled for the rescue team to take us as the rescue packs didn’t work. I tried not to breathe and later I fainted,’’ he said.