Jaipur, May 15 (IANS): Eight of the 15 employees, including vigilance officers and workers of Hindustan Copper Ltd, who were trapped at 1,875 ft in a mine at Kolihan near Khetri in Rajasthan's Neem Ka thana district, were rescued on Wednesday, said officials here, adding that the operation was underway and soon others will be taken out.

The 15 employees were trapped in the mine late Tuesday night.

The first three people were evacuated at around 7 a.m. and were referred to Jaipur Hospital. In the second round, five people were taken out at around 9.10 a.m. Those rescued were in healthy condition, the officials added.

Medicines and food packets were being sent to the people trapped inside. Teams of doctors and ambulances have been kept on alert near the site. A dozen ambulances and doctors were sent to the spot with police teams for the rescue operation soon after the incident came to light.

On Tuesday, the Vigilance team, including the Khetri Copper Corporation (KCC) Chief, descended into the mines. The accident was reported while they were leaving the mines at 8.10 p.m. The vigilance team from Kolkata and senior officials of the Khetri Copper Corporation (KCC) were in the lift when the chain broke.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma said, “Information was received on this accident due to the breaking of lift chain in Kolihan mine of Hindustan Copper Limited in Khetri, Jhunjhunu. The concerned officials were instructed to immediately reach the spot and conduct relief and rescue operations expeditiously and provide all possible help and health facilities to the affected people.”

“I pray to God for the safe coming out of the people trapped in the mine,” he said.

Earlier, Deputy CM Diya Kumari said, “There was no loss of life in the accident that took place in the Kolihan mine of Hindustan Copper Limited in Khetri, Jhunjhunu. So far three people have been evacuated. I wish for the people trapped in the mine to come out safely and the rescue operation to be completed soon,” she said.

Her tweet came when three people were rescued in the first round. However, in the next round, five more people were rescued.

Officials said that the remaining six people will be evacuated soon