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The worst mining disaster in the Second Republic with ten deaths was followed 20 years ago by the "Lbading miracle": Bergmann Georg Hainzl was saved. The Austrian bas-relief Leopold Abraham was then the chief of operations
"I proclaim you a great joy, Georg lives." This message was sent to the world on July 26, 1998, exactly 20 years ago, under the name of "Merveille de Lbading". After nine days at a depth of 65 meters and without food, the miner Georg Heinzl was saved – almost unscathed. It was a moment of joy as the accident at the mine became the worst mining disaster of the Second Republic.
Abraham coordinates rescue at Lbading
After nine days, Georg Hainzl was saved alive. At that time, Leopold Abraham was the first to contact the buried miner
The accident occurred on July 17, 1998. A sudden fault crossed the village of Lbading (Styria). At first, a house collapsed. A little later, it was clear that a tunnel had broken in the basement and that Hainzl was trapped. Ten friends wanted to help him, went down the well and were trapped after a second collapse
Operation under very dangerous conditions
For the rescue mission, the mining company asked for the 39, help OMV. Leopold Abraham, 71, from Angern an der March (Gänserndorf district), was one of the last in the office – a Friday afternoon – when he received a call from Captain Lbading : "He asked me if we were with staff and equipment. "Abraham asked his drill leaders," and they said that we could not help with the equipment that was available. "
ORF [19659010] Images and emotions leave Leopold Abraham (l., In conversation with Stefan Sailer) even 20 years after the accident are not yet released [19659005] Nevertheless, Abraham improvised – using German Bohrfirmen – immediately the rescue mission and made his way to Lbading, to a mission that has never been practiced before. "Of course, we were also afraid that the buildings that around us were moving, "had already pierced a residential building in the groundhole.In a multi-storey house was controlled by laser beams, if it moves." And he also moved quite easily to the pit, which is a very dangerous situation, "recalls Abraham.
Pressure from the media, families and spectators
Heavy rains made work harder, but just a day after the accident t, the helpers drilled 65 meters into the Jausenstation depth, in which there had been the last sign of Hainzl's life. However, they did not know if the minor was still alive at that time. At the same time more and more media, spectators and parents besieged the scene of the accident, which increased the pressure on the badistants
ORF
Hundreds of supporters of media spent weeks in Lbading
Drilling was the big breakthrough. – So, I shouted through the hole, Georg, are you there? And he shouted, "Yes, that's me, Georg. This moment was of course a joy, because from then on we knew that he was alive. "Hainzl was finally arrested with a life capsule
New hope for residents and families
Residents hoped to find the other ten miners buried.The drilling continued for four weeks. weeks were a stressful time: "It was often families, children and women on the spot. It was a bit complicated, because every time we ran somewhere, the kids would ask if daddy was there, "said the former OMV employee
" I did not know not if we would ever find them. and that has already weighed. This has cooled the joy of saving Georg Hainzl, "said Abraham.After five weeks, the search – unsuccessfully – was stopped." Although there is still a small residual risk, but we were sure that unfortunately no one has survived. "
In Lbading, there is a" mantle of silence "
Today, a memorial to the scene of the accident, ten gravestones for the On the other hand, almost no one wants to talk about Lbading's misfortune, even Abraham, who was in Lbading for the last time three years ago, closed this topic for himself. Happened to meet a woman who lost her son, spoke to her for a moment, then all the memories came back. "
ORF
Ten graves are reminiscent today to the ten victims of the mine disaster
One last time, Abraham looked again at the area and walked around the mine. "After that, I'm done for me, because the emotions usually come back in me. The situation is always painful for me today. "
Stefan Sailer, noe.ORF.at
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