By Dashnor Kaloçi
Memorie.al / The distant year 1979, besides the earthquake of April 15 where approximately 36 people lost their lives (according to the official version), seems it will be remembered – or more accurately, has entered the official documents and statistics of the communist regime of Enver Hoxha and his successor Ramiz Alia – for several other disasters. These included various accidents (automotive, technological, mining, etc.) where far more people lost their lives than were killed by that year’s natural earthquake disaster!
Thus, starting in January of that year, nine prisoners serving their sentences in the Bulqiza labor camp-prison (Ward 301) lost their lives after suffocating from a fire that broke out in the barracks where they worked and lived. Nearly two months later, on March 11 of that year, six employees of the “Steel of the Party” Metallurgical Combine lost their lives from asphyxiation in one of the departments of Plant No. 12, where many others were poisoned by gases and hospitalized. The next event that followed with many victims was on June 3 of that year, where about 16 people died, drowning after the sinking of the ship “Mitro Xhani” at the Buna Bridge near Lake Shkodra – an event we published a few days ago.
The “ill-fated” year of 1979 would close with another disaster: on December 19, near the city of Lezha, 9 workers and engineers working on the Laç-Shkodër railway tunnel lost their lives. Meanwhile, three months later, on March 10, 1980, an even more severe tragedy occurred. Due to a vehicle accident in Zall-Bastar, Tirana, a total of 17 people – workers and school students – lost their lives after the “ZIS” truck they were traveling in fell into a ravine; only the driver survived.
For all these disasters occurring in the years 1979–’80, in which over 55 citizens lost their lives, we are informed by the relevant official documents retrieved from the Archive of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which are being published for the first time (with corresponding facsimiles) by Memorie.al.
SECRET OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATION OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR, WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE EVENT IN THE BULQIZA MINE, WHERE 9 PRISONERS WHO WERE SERVING THEIR SENTENCE IN THAT CAMP LOST THEIR LIVES.
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA SECRET
MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS Copy No. 1
GENERAL BRANCH Tirana, 27.1.1979
OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATION No. 21
Official Report: The Bulqiza Mine Tragedy (January 26, 1979)
On January 26, 1979, at 13:30, in Zone “D”, Gallery “A” of the “Todo Manço” chrome mine in Bulqiza, a fire broke out in a barrack containing several electric tools and equipment.
The massive amount of smoke blocked the airflow, consequently endangering a portion of the first shift of convicts from Ward 301, as well as several free workers. Despite the measures taken, the following convicts lost their lives:
- Beqir Qamil Leka, aged 30, from Bërzesht village, Librazhd.
- Gani Bajram Mullisi, aged 40, from Mborje village, Korçë.
- Besnik Neki Bega, aged 41, from Gjirokastra.
- Musa Bajram Vjeri, aged 37, from Tirana.
- Muharrem Veli Sejdini, aged 36, from Tirana.
- Faslli Refat Muço, aged 40, from Fier.
- Tom Zef Prendi, aged 26, from Shkodra.
- Riza Hekuran Çela, aged 33, from Lushnja.
- Adem Dalip Pali, aged 25, from Lushnja.
An investigative operative group was dispatched to the scene. The causes of the fire remain unknown. Investigations are ongoing.
CHAIRMAN
PILO SHANTO
SECRET OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATION OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR, WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE ACCIDENTAL EVENT AT THE METALLURGICAL PLANT IN ELBASAN, WHERE 6 WORKERS LOST THEIR LIVES
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA SECRET
MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS Copy No. 1
GENERAL BRANCH Tirana, 11.3.1979
OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATION No. 136
ELBASANI
Official Report: The Mass Poisoning at the “Steel of the Party” Combine (June 9-10, 1979)
On June 9, 1979, between 09:30 and 11:00, at Plant No. 12 of the “Steel of the Party” Combine in Elbasan, brigadier Shkëlqim Ali Gripshi, aged 34, born and residing in Elbasan, told the workers of his shift brigade that he would go to the reservoir to clean it and that they should wait for him there.
In fact, he went ahead to inspect the state of circulation reservoir No. 1 in the gas department, as the brigade was scheduled to work there to clean sulfur residue. The brigade arrived at the site, but since the brigadier did not show up as promised, they left. On June 10, 1979, around 09:00, when the next shift arrived at the reservoir to begin work, they saw Shkëlqim at the bottom. They attempted to pull him out, but as soon as they descended into the tank, they were poisoned.
In the frantic attempt to rescue one another, ten other workers were poisoned. Eventually, they were extracted, but in addition to Shkëlqim, the following also died:
- Edmond Xhevdet Hodo, aged 22.
- Ferdinand Kurt Manaj, aged 24.
- Hiqmet Gani Kanaçi, aged 20.
- Bukurosh Mehmet Muça, aged 24.
- Musa Riza Paja, aged 45.
Additionally, the following remain hospitalized:
- Vladimir Hajdar Skilja, aged 24, technologist.
- Petrit Liman Qosja, aged 29, driver.
- Mark Rrushit Simoni, aged 30, chemist.
- Vilson Shefqet Agolli, aged 25, metallurgist.
- Roland Ali Spaho, aged 23, worker.
The operative group established that the reservoir had been out of operation for a month and was blocked, thus requiring repairs. Technical safety regulations were violated by the brigade, as they neglected to perform the necessary measurements of gas saturation levels, assuming that because the reservoir had been idle for a month, it was empty. The poisoning was caused by Hydrogen Sulfide (H₂S) gas.
The following individuals were detained: Bujar Shefqet Gripshi, aged 30, head of the gas department at Plant No. 12, and Xhevahir Vehip Komani, aged 26, Chief of Technical Safety at the plant. While in their respective roles, they failed to take measures for the safety and protection of workers, consequently leading to the deaths of the six aforementioned workers.
SECRET OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATION OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR, WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE ACCIDENT IN LEZHA, WHERE 7 WORKERS LOST THEIR LIVES, IN THE LAĆ-SHKOĐĆ RAILWAY TUNNEL
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA SECRET
MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS Copy No. 4
GENERAL BRANCH Tirana, 20.12.1979
OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATION No. 299
LEZHA
Official Report: The Explosion at the Laç-Shkodër Railway Tunnel (December 19, 1979)
On December 19, 1979, at 10:00, in the Laç-Shkodër railway tunnel, approximately 500 meters near the Shëngjin road, where a blast was scheduled for the tunnel opening, miner-electrician Rexhep Osman Krasniqi went to conduct an unscheduled testing procedure. At this time, he established electrical contact, which triggered the explosion of a charge containing 450 kg of dynamite. As a result, 7 workers lost their lives:
- Vesel Xhafer Poloshi, aged 44, born and residing in Lashkizë village, Dibër, miner.
- Bashkim Xhemal Leka, aged 24, born in Hurdhë-Reç village, Dibër.
- Uk Selman Lala, aged 19, born in Zall-Reç village, Dibër and residing in Balldre.
- Dali Maliq Uklala, aged 31, born and residing in Ballaj-Reç village, Dibër.
- Tom Kol Zefi, aged 44, born in Luf village, Mirditë, and residing in Librazhd.
- Rrahman Haziz Koka, aged 49, born and residing in Krej-Reç village, Dibër.
- Rexhep Osman Krasniqi, aged 33, born and residing in Qerret, Durrës.
Mark Ndue Lleshi, aged 52, born and residing in Lezhë (a Party member), was slightly injured and hospitalized.
For this accident, the following individuals were detained: Veniamin Jani Hida, aged 29, chief engineer of the railway construction site; Enver Shaban Kallushi, aged 38, civil engineer; and Ibrahim Tatraku, aged 48, technician. They were held accountable for failing to implement technical safety regulations. The case is under investigation.
VICE CHAIRMAN
ALI KORBI
SECRET OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATION OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR, WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE ACCIDENT IN ZALL-BASTAR OF TIRANA, WHERE 17 PEOPLE TRAVELING IN A “BLACK” VEHICLE LOST THEIR LIVES
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA SECRET
MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS Copy No. 1
GENERAL BRANCH Tirana, 10.3.1980
OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATION No. 58
TIRANA
Official Report: The Zall-Bastar Ravine Tragedy (March 8, 1980)
On March 8, 1980, at 16:00, a “Zis” truck (license plate TR 19-89) belonging to the Valias coal mine, driven by Petrit Abdyl Hoxha, aged 33 – who had previously served a one-month sentence for violating traffic regulations – was traveling on the Tirana – Zall-Bastar road.
Upon exiting the Tujan tunnels in a mountainous section, while shifting gears, the vehicle slipped into neutral (afolje), lost control, and plummeted into a ravine.
The following individuals were killed in this accident:
Workers at the Valias Mine:
- Sulejman Kanina, aged 26, from Zall-Mner.
- Ibrahim Aruçi, aged 44, from Vilëz.
- Rexhep Lila, aged 56, from Bastar-Muriz.
- Sabri Bajrami, aged 27, from Vilëz.
- Adem Aruçi, aged 24, from Bulçesh-Mner.
- Beqir Kurti, from Kamza.
- Haxhi Mali, aged 50, from Kamza.
Workers at the Mëzez Mine:
- Petrit Rama, aged 31, from Zall-Mner.
- Mehmet Tarja, aged 29, from Bastar-Muriz.
- Hysen Gjeçi, aged 48, from Kamza.
Students:
- Myslym Plaku, aged 18, from Selita.
- Agim Balliu, aged 20, from Selita.
- Rruzhdi Alla, aged 18, from Lower Selita.
- Lume Balliu, aged 20, from Selita.
- Aqif Uta, aged 18, from Vilza.
Others:
- Kadri Flora, aged 27, Geology worker, residing in Vilzë.
- Bajram Bajramaj, aged 27, cooperativist, residing in Zall-Mner.
Additionally, 7 people were seriously injured and 23 sustained minor injuries, while the driver remained unharmed. The driver has been detained./Memorie.al
CHAIRMAN
PILO SHANTO
