Many killed in Ukraine coalmine blast
At least thirteen miners have been killed after a methane gas explosion ripped through a coalmine in southeast Ukraine.
“Thirteen miners have died. The others have been brought to the surface. The search operation is over,” Yelena Khlysyuk, an emergencies ministry spokeswoman, said by telephone.
Another official put the number of injured at 61 including 41 suffering from gas inhalation
The blast in the Zasyadko mine took place on Wednesday, officials said.
The explosion happened at 5.10 am (0210 GMT) at a depth of more than 1,000 metres underground after a “sudden leak of a mixture of coal and gas”, said Igor Krol, an emergency situations ministry spokesman in Kiev.
Work has been stopped and emergency workers are at the scene, Krol said.
The Zasyadko mine is one of Ukraine’s biggest and has been the scene of previous deadly incidents. More than 400 miners were working at Zasyadko when Wednesday’s explosion occurred, Krol said.