Russian mine toll rises to 52; 38 missing
Source: Agencies |
May 12, 2010, Wednesday
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Print Edition
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THE death toll from a Siberian coal mine disaster at the weekend rose to 52 yesterday and dozens of workers were still missing in a maze of tunnels threatened by flooding.
"Thirty-eight people are still missing," an Emergencies Ministry spokeswoman said.
As hopes faded for those trapped underground after Russia's worst mine accident in three years, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visited the mine and met grieving relatives and injured survivors.
"I ordered the most detailed investigation into the causes of the accident, the situation at the mine and the actions of specific authorities," said Putin. "We need to know what led to such a large number of casualties - to a tragedy of such scale."
Putin said lessons must be learnt to create "systemic solutions aimed at avoiding a repeat of such tragedies" across Russia's accident-prone coal industry.
More than 350 miners were underground when a blast hit the mine at the weekend. Many escaped, but a second blast hours later trapped others.
Aman Tuleyev, governor of the Kemerovo region, said time was running out to rescue those trapped in areas of the mine where anti-flooding systems had failed.
Emergencies Ministry spokesman Valery Korchagin said 19 of the dead were rescuers who went into the mine after the initial blast.
Emergencies Minister Sergei Shoigu was quoted as saying a sudden burst of methane and coal dust could have caused the blasts.
"Thirty-eight people are still missing," an Emergencies Ministry spokeswoman said.
As hopes faded for those trapped underground after Russia's worst mine accident in three years, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visited the mine and met grieving relatives and injured survivors.
"I ordered the most detailed investigation into the causes of the accident, the situation at the mine and the actions of specific authorities," said Putin. "We need to know what led to such a large number of casualties - to a tragedy of such scale."
Putin said lessons must be learnt to create "systemic solutions aimed at avoiding a repeat of such tragedies" across Russia's accident-prone coal industry.
More than 350 miners were underground when a blast hit the mine at the weekend. Many escaped, but a second blast hours later trapped others.
Aman Tuleyev, governor of the Kemerovo region, said time was running out to rescue those trapped in areas of the mine where anti-flooding systems had failed.
Emergencies Ministry spokesman Valery Korchagin said 19 of the dead were rescuers who went into the mine after the initial blast.
Emergencies Minister Sergei Shoigu was quoted as saying a sudden burst of methane and coal dust could have caused the blasts.
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