Death toll in Turkey mine explosion rises to 41
Oct 15, 2022
Ankara [Turkey], October 15 : The death toll in the coal mine blast in northern Turkey has reached 41, Al Jazeera reported, quoting the Turkish president as rescue operations were concluded.
The blast occurred on Friday at the state-owned TTK Amasra Muessese Mudurlugu mine in the town of Amasra, in the Black Sea coastal province of Bartin, leaving several people injured.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that the last missing person had been found dead on Saturday
"Our priority was to find the miners in the gallery. We finally reached the last one. He also died, bringing the number of deaths to 41," he said shortly after arriving at the site, reported Al Jazeera.
Interior Minister Soylu said about the mining explosion that took place in Bartin, "110 of our brothers were working there, we had 49 brothers in the risky area, 21 of our brothers were sent to the hospital, unfortunately, 14 of our brothers lost their lives," reported local media TRT HABER.
The explosion occurred 300 metres (985 feet) below the entrance of the mine at around 15:15 GMT, the Bartin governor's office said.
Fatih Donmez, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, also said that the cause of the explosion was a firedamp explosion, according to initial assessments.
"According to the first evaluations made by our friends, it is that there was a firedamp explosion. In some of them, the mini-rail system, which we call phaetons, works, and in some of them, there is a manual intervention on foot. All search and rescue teams are on duty, we do not have any shortcomings. We are in constant coordination with our friends. Again, I say condolences," said Donmez.
Soylu and Donmez went to the area where the explosion occurred in the mining quarry in the Amasra district of Bartin, reported TRT HABER.
The cause of the blast is under investigation.
Several rescue teams were dispatched to the area, including from neighbouring provinces, Turkey's disaster management agency, AFAD, said.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is closely monitoring the situation, the Turkish Presidency said on Twitter, reported Anadolu News agency.
In Turkey's worst mine disaster, a total of 301 people died in 2014 in a fire inside a coal mine in the town of Soma, in western Turkey.
