Gas leak in a Siberian coal mine killed at least 52 people, including six rescuers
- In Reports
- 03:52 PM, Nov 26, 2021
- Myind Staff
A gas leak in a Siberian coal mine killed at least 52 people on Thursday, Russian news agencies said, including six rescuers who were sent down to try to bring out dozens of men. All the rescuers died because of carbon monoxide poisoning. It is said to be one of Russia's worst mining disasters since Soviet times.
The blast was caused by a methane gas leak about 250m (820ft) underground. Flames and toxic fumes filled the Listvyazhnaya mine in the Kemerovo region, forcing the search for survivors to be abandoned.
A total of 285 people were in the mine at the time of the explosion, but fortunately 239 miners were successfully led to the surface.
A criminal investigation into the blast has been launched - and officials say the mine's director, along with two senior managers, have been detained.
President Vladimir Putin said he had spoken with the governor and emergency officials, and the Kremlin said he had ordered the emergencies minister to fly to the region to help. The president also declared three days of mourning.
In 2007, the region was the site of the worst mining accident since the collapse of the Soviet Union when an explosion at the Ulyanovskaya mine claimed the lives of more than 100 people. In 2010, explosions at the region's Raspadskaya mine killed more than 90 people.
After 36 miners were killed in 2016, authorities analysed the safety of Russia's 58 coal mines and concluded that 34% of them were potentially unsafe.
However, the Listvyazhnaya mine was not among them at the time, according to local media reports. But an inspection of the site by a Russian watchdog in April registered 139 violations, including breaches related to fire safety.
Image courtesy: TASS
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