Coal mine blast kills 18 in Russia

text

Photo taken in July 2004 shows the coal mine where a blast occured on Feb. 11,

2013, in the Komi Republic, Russia. A coal mine blast in Russia's northwest Komi

Republic has killed nine people, the Emergency Situations Ministry said on

Monday. (Xinhua).

At least 18 people died and three remained in grave conditions after a coal mine

blast in Russia's northern Komi republic, emergency authorities said Monday.

The explosion occurred at 10:28 Moscow time (0628 GMT) at Vorkutinskaya

mine.

By 14:20 p.m. Moscow time (1020 GMT), the death toll has reached 18, the

Interior Ministry said, adding 10 of the bodies have been lifted to the surface.

According to the Emergency Ministry's website, a total 259 people were

working in the mine when the blast happened, and 250 of them have been evacuated

by 11:40 a.m. Moscow time (0740 GMT).

Forty emergency workers are attempting to recover the miners trapped

underground. "We hope to find seven miners alive," Emergency Minister Vladimir

Puchkov told reporters.

Families of those killed miners will receive some 2 million rubles

(about 67,000 U.S. dollars) in compensation, Puchkov added.

Preliminary investigation conducted by the Russian technical safety

watchdog Rostechnadzor suggested that the blast of methane occurred 800 meters

underground.

The Investigative Committee in charge of investigating the coal mine

blast has opened a criminal case under the article of "Violation of the safety

rules during mining, construction and other works" of the Russian criminal law,

the Investigative Committee's spokesman Vladimir Markin told reporters.

According to the Vorkutaugol company's website, the mine has been

working since 1973 and has coal reserves for 50 years ahead. It has an annual

production capacity of 1.8 million tons of coal.

Rostekhnadzor inspected the mine in 2012 and found no safety violations

at the time.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev ordered his deputy Arkady

Dvorkovich to collect all information about the situation at Vorkutinskaya mine

and to support the victims' families.

President Vladimir Putin ordered the Emergencies' Minister Puchkov to

fly to the mine and "undertake urgent measures to clarify the fate of the

victims and to organize the help for the families," Putin's spokesperson Dmitry

Peskov told reporters.