All awarded persons took bravely part in an extreme rescue operation. Sebastian Garus was working in a cavity in wall No. 12, where on 5 May 2011 methane began to burn. Garus together with his five colleagues were cut off from the escape routes and respiratory system protection means. In that dramatic situation, the miners kept cool heads and sheltered in an air duct. Sebastian Garus, with help of his colleagues, managed to get through the lintel of a stopping and he moved back through the air duct to the area of ventilator batteries. He cut the air duct there and showed immediately to the rescuers the place where his fives colleagues left. His information allowed the rescuers to focus their search in the place indicated by Garus. The workers were waiting for the rescuers for fourteen hours.The life of one of them could not be saved.
The rescuers were awarded for exceptional courage, determination and extraordinary commitment during the rescue operation, which was conducted in extreme conditions. The temperature in the operation area exceeded 40 centigrade and the humidity amounted to 96% with zero visibility. Ryszard Konior, a mine rescuer of the Krupiński mine, during the ceremony of presenting the “Brave Miner” awards, thanked the board on behalf of the distinguished rescuers and also two rescuers who died during the tragic operation.
