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11 dead in methane explosion at mine in western Ukraine – union At least 8 dead, 20 missing in methane explosion at mine in western Ukraine
(35 minutes later)
Methane explosion has killed at least 11 miners in western Ukraine, a miner union head reported. A methane gas explosion happened at a coal mine in western Ukraine. At least eight miners have been killed and dozens remain unaccounted for, local authorities reported.
The explosion happened at the Stepnaya mine in Lvov region.The explosion happened at the Stepnaya mine in Lvov region.
“There is a disaster at Stepnaya. Methane explosion. 11 dead,” Mihaylo Volinets, the head of the confederation of free labor unions of Ukraine wrote on his Facebook page. The local emergency service put the number of fatalities at eight, with six workers escaping with injuries and 20 still unaccounted for. It added that of the 172 miners at the site, 34 worked in the shaft affected by the explosion.
The local emergency service put the number of fatalities at 8, with 24 workers still unaccounted for. A union head put the number of the dead at 11. 
“There is a disaster at Stepnaya. Methane explosion. 11 dead,” Mihaylo Volinets, the head of the independent miners union of Ukraine, wrote on Facebook. 
The mine is part of Lvovugol, and has been in operation since 1978. It is rated as highly dangerous due to the high amounts of methane gas in the coal mined there.The mine is part of Lvovugol, and has been in operation since 1978. It is rated as highly dangerous due to the high amounts of methane gas in the coal mined there.
DETAILS TO FOLLOW Ukraine is currently in a state of emergency in the energy sector due to a shortage of coal needed for electricity and central heating. Coal had been supplied from rebel-held areas in the east, but over a month ago, some nationalist-leaning paramilitary fighters supported by several legislators imposed a blockade on the railroads.
The people behind the blockade argue that trading with the rebels is tantamount to treason. Kiev is reluctant to order a forced resolution to the crisis, and has instead called on the activists to leave, saying that otherwise the power plants would stop working and Ukraine would suffer a power shortage. In response, the nationalists threatened to take over the power plants and keep them running, although it was not clear how they planned to do so without any coal.
Amid the crisis, the rebel authorities ordered a change of management for businesses located in their territory which had been operating under Ukrainian law to keep economic ties with partners located in Kiev-controlled parts of the country.