Bengal: Toxic gases slow rescue ops in South Sikkim tunnel blast, toll reaches 13

Death toll in the methane explosion inside the under-construction tunnel of the Teesta Stage-VI Hydel Project in South Sikkim reached 13, with 12 workers still missing.

Rescue teams battled high levels of methane and carbon monoxide, mud, and pitch-dark conditions inside Adit-3 of the 15-km tunnel.

The explosion was triggered by a possible methane gas leak when the tunnel boring machine hit a gas pocket in the rock.

Rescuers from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Coal India Limited used self-contained breathing apparatuses due to toxic gases.

Coal India Limited rescue team claimed to have spotted at least eight more bodies, but recovery was pending as of the report.