At least 11 people died after an accident in a coal mine in Russia this Thursday (25). The work of rescue teams to retrieve the bodies of victims and 35 others who are still trapped underground had to be halted due to the risk of explosions.
According to Russian news agencies, there was a fire caused by coal residues in the mine’s ventilation duct, located in the Kemerovo region of Siberia. Regional Governor Sergei Tsivilev said that in addition to the 11 confirmed deaths and those still trapped in the mine, there are dozens of victims receiving medical care, several with symptoms of smoke poisoning.
Images from local broadcasters show rescue teams and ambulances arriving at the complex where the mine is located, in an area some 3,500 km from Moscow.
According to authorities, there were around 285 people working when the smoke began to spread, of which 239 made it to the surface.
“For now, there is no dense smoke, so hopefully there is no fire,” Tsivilev said in videos shared on his Telegram channel. According to him, however, the underground communication system, which would allow contact with workers who are still in the mine, is not working.
The regional branch of Russia’s Investigative Committee said it had filed a lawsuit to investigate the causes of the accident — initially, a criminal inquiry, which should look into whether there was negligence on the part of the mine’s managers. The site belongs to the private company Siberian Business Union.
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