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.