An explosion at a coal mine in Turkey’s northern Bartin province has killed 41 miners, leaving many injured as search and rescue operations are completed.
According to the reports, a fire broke out at the mine which from the preliminary findings is said to be an explosion of flammable gases called firedamp.
The coal mine is owned by the state-owned Turkish Hard Coal Enterprises.
Minister of the Interior Suleyman Soylu has been quoted by BBC as saying: “It is believed to have occurred at around 300m deep. At the time, some 49 people had been working in the “risky” zone between 300 and 350m underground.”
The minister is also reported to have said that 58 people working in the mine when the blast occurred were rescued out of 110 miners.
Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited the coal mine to inspect then ongoing search and later he confirmed the final missing person had been found dead.
The final missing body was discovered after the search and rescue operations of over 20 hours from the deadly blast.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said: “The state has launched efforts at the site of the accident by mobilising all of its institutions right after the blast, which occurred 300 and 350 meters underground at the mine.
“While search and rescue works are going on, our injured workers have been transferred to hospitals in several provinces by ambulances, helicopters and air ambulances.
“The administrative and judicial investigation will reveal what caused the blast and who, if anyone, is responsible. These multi-pronged investigations have already been initiated.
“Our priority right now is to rescue our workers underground. We have reached our 41st worker, the very last one. He was dead. Therefore, the number of the dead which we had previously announced to be 40 became 41.”
