125: Chapter 125 Qin Chuan's Rescue Plan

This was good news.

Many people's eyes lit up.

Some miners even started to cry.

Qin Chuan said loudly, "Is there a blackboard? Get a blackboard over here!"

Soon, a large blackboard was brought over.

Qin Chuan said loudly again, "Who is most familiar with the situation in the mine tunnels? Can you draw the mine tunnels on the blackboard, especially Tunnel No. 2 and the Refuge Chamber!"

What was needed most was to determine the location, depth, and other information about the Refuge Chamber.

A miner in his fifties stepped out, "I've worked at the coal mine for over thirty years. I'm familiar with all the tunnels, but I might not draw them very well."

Qin Chuan said, "It doesn't matter, a rough diagram will do."

The old miner took the chalk and first drew a diagram of the entire mine on the blackboard, then focused on drawing Tunnel No. 2 and the Refuge Chamber.

The safety officer came over and drew the current water level line, "Secretary Qin, judging from the current water level, the Refuge Chamber certainly hasn't been flooded. As long as they made it into the Refuge Chamber, they should still be alive now."

Hopefully, they are all alive.

Qin Chuan said, "Since it's basically confirmed that the water level hasn't submerged the Refuge Chamber, forming a safe zone there, what we need to confirm next is whether they reached there and if they are still alive."

This… this is very difficult!

Because they are deep underground, the communication signal is weak, and it's impossible to make contact.

Then we can only rely on the most primitive methods, such as checking for knocking sounds.

Qin Chuan waved his hand and said, "Let's go. A few people, come with me into the mine to take a look."

At this moment, Qin Chuan seemed to have become the backbone of the group. With that wave of his hand, many people followed, including County Magistrate Zhang Yuansong and County Magistrate Zhou Tiansheng.

Everyone walked to the entrance of the mine. It could be seen that several large water pipes were coming out of the mine, pumping water out with a gurgling sound.

Qin Chuan said, "Are there any iron pipes or rails connected to Tunnel No. 2? If they lead directly to the Refuge Chamber there, that would be best."

The safety officer was the first to react, "Secretary Qin, are you planning to knock on the iron pipes or rails so they can hear the sound?"

Qin Chuan said, "If there are iron pipes and rails connected to the Refuge Chamber, they should already be knocking by now."

The safety officer said, "Secretary Qin, do you see this thick iron pipe on the tunnel wall? It's a ventilation pipe, and it has a branch that connects all the way to the Refuge Chamber."

Really!

That's great!

Without caring at all that the large iron pipe was dirty and covered in coal dust, Qin Chuan placed his ear directly against it.

...

Tunnel No. 2, Refuge Chamber.

The location here was high, and the water had not flooded up. All 24 miners had reached this place, not a single one missing.

However, there was a hint of despair on everyone's face.

The tunnel was full of water, and the water level was only a few meters away from the Refuge Chamber. The space formed here was not large. If there was no rescue, the oxygen would be exhausted in three to five days, and they would all suffocate to death.

The leader was their squad leader, Liu Yubao, 54 years old, who had worked at the Jiangjiachong Coal Mine for over thirty years.

Seeing the desperate expressions on everyone's faces, he spoke up loudly to encourage them, "Everyone, don't be pessimistic. With such a big incident, I estimate the county has already been alerted. They will find a way to save us."

After encouraging them, he found a hammer and, while observing the water level, began knocking on the abandoned ventilation pipe.

If the water level dropped, it meant there was hope, indicating that they were already pumping water out from the outside.

Knocking on this abandoned ventilation pipe was to tell the people outside that they were still alive. As an experienced miner, he knew this pipe was connected to the main ventilation pipe, and as long as he knocked hard enough, people outside should be able to hear it.

He knocked and paused, occasionally pressing his ear against it to listen, but three or four hours passed, and not only had the water level not dropped, but no knocking sounds had come from the outside either.

A young miner said with a look of despair, "Old Liu, don't waste your energy. It's useless."

Mine entrance.

Qin Chuan, not caring that the pipe was dirty, placed his ear against it. After a while, a look of surprise and joy appeared on his face, and he said loudly.

"Come and listen, everyone! There are knocking sounds, which means there are survivors!"

Really!

County Magistrate Zhang Yuansong was the first to come over. After listening for a moment, a look of surprise and joy appeared on his face, "There really are knocking sounds!"

This confirmed it beyond doubt.

There were survivors, and it was highly likely they were in the Refuge Chamber waiting for rescue.

Qin Chuan picked up a wrench and knocked hard at least a dozen times, then ordered, "Arrange for one or two people to knock continuously. We must let the survivors in the Refuge Chamber hear our knocking."

Next, what needed to be discussed was how to carry out the rescue.

Just as everyone was preparing to discuss the rescue plan, Secretary Guo Shunmin arrived at the Jiangjiachong Coal Mine with several city leaders and a large group of people from other relevant departments.

With twenty-four miners trapped underground, he couldn't sit still. He had originally been holding an important meeting, but he canceled it immediately and rushed over as fast as he could.

"How is the situation!"

County Magistrate Zhang Yuansong immediately gave a brief report on the situation and then said, "We are currently formulating a rescue plan."

"Good, that's great," Secretary Guo Shunmin said, "This is the best news I've heard. I hope all 24 miners are inside the Refuge Chamber."

"How will you proceed with the rescue? Do you have a plan?"

County Magistrate Zhou Tiansheng said, "My plan is to send divers down to carry out the rescue, but Comrade Qin Chuan does not approve of doing so."

Qin Chuan said, "After the water inrush accident, the situation inside the mine is very complex. There may be undercurrents, and there might even be some collapses. The mine is crisscrossed with tunnels, like a maze, so I do not recommend sending divers."

Secretary Guo Shunmin nodded and asked, "Comrade Qin Chuan, what is your plan, then!"

Qin Chuan walked over to the blackboard, which had a diagram of the mine tunnels drawn in chalk, especially Tunnel No. 2 and the Refuge Chamber.

"Secretary Guo, look, this is the location of the Refuge Chamber. Above it is about two hundred meters of rock and soil. My plan is to use a drilling rig to drill a hole directly above it. This will allow for ventilation and the delivery of food and water. I am worried that the space in the Refuge Chamber is limited, and the air inside will be exhausted in two or three days."

"At the same time, we will increase the water pumping efforts, hoping to drain the water in the mine. If we can drain the water, that would be best. If we cannot drain it, then we will have to enlarge this drill hole to the size of a person and rescue the miners one by one through this hole."

"Hmm, I think this plan is feasible," Secretary Guo Shunmin nodded.

County Magistrate Zhang Yuansong also nodded and said, "I think so too."

Secretary Guo Shunmin had brought quite a few people with him, including some rescue experts.

These people also nodded one after another, unanimously agreeing with Qin Chuan's plan.

Among them was an expert in his sixties or seventies, a professor from a university, who was an authority on mine rescue.

He said approvingly, "This plan is perfect. I suggest we do exactly this. Let's determine the location immediately and set up the drilling rig as soon as possible to start drilling."