The explosion, which occurred at the end of the afternoon in a mine in northeastern Turkey, injured at least 28 people, according to the Turkish Minister of the Interior.
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An explosion in a coal mine on Friday, October 14 in Amasra, in northwestern Turkey, left at least 14 dead and 28 injured, according to Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu. After the explosion, which occurred at 6:15 p.m. local time, several dozen miners remained stranded some 300 meters below sea level.
Friday evening, rescue teams were trying to save dozens of workers trapped in galleries. They were still 35 underground, according to the Turkish miners’ union, Maden-Is. “Eighty-seven people were in the mine at the time of the explosion. Nearly half were able to be evacuated”assured the mayor of Amasra, Recai Cakir, to the private Turkish channel NTV. “Most of them are fine, but there are also serious injuries”he added.
According to the Maden-Is union quoted by Turkish media, the explosion could be linked to an accumulation of firedamp. Turkish authorities believe it is still early to determine the cause of the explosion.