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Polish mine blast 'kills eight' | Polish mine blast 'kills eight' |
(20 minutes later) | |
At least eight miners have been killed and 15 are trapped after a gas explosion at a coal mine in southern Poland, officials say. | |
The explosion took place one kilometre below ground at the Halemba coal mine in Ruda Slaska, 300km (190 miles) south-west of Warsaw. | |
Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski was said to be flying to the site to support the rescue work. | |
An explosion at the same pit in 1990 killed 19 miners. | An explosion at the same pit in 1990 killed 19 miners. |
The Southern Mining Company said Tuesday's explosion at 1630 (1530 GMT) happened as workers were demolishing a wall. | The Southern Mining Company said Tuesday's explosion at 1630 (1530 GMT) happened as workers were demolishing a wall. |
Jan Sienkiewicz, spokesman for the Halemba mine, confirmed eight workers were dead. | |
Another company spokesman, Zbigniew Madej, told Reuters news agency: "We fear the worst for the others." | |
Families of those still trapped gathered at the pit head with officials and priests. | Families of those still trapped gathered at the pit head with officials and priests. |
The mine is in Silesia, the heartland of the Polish coal industry. | The mine is in Silesia, the heartland of the Polish coal industry. |
Unions have often complained of poor investment in the industry. More than 80 miners have died in the country since 2003. | Unions have often complained of poor investment in the industry. More than 80 miners have died in the country since 2003. |