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Gas blast traps Colombian miners Colombia mine gas blast kills 18
(about 12 hours later)
At least three miners have been killed and some 27 others are trapped after a gas blast in a coal mine in Colombia, officials say. A gas explosion at a coal mine in north-eastern Colombia has killed at least 18 miners.
They say rescuers have not yet been able to enter the mine, in a remote north-eastern area, because of the continued presence of gas pockets. Officials said they were trying to reach another 14 men who were trapped underground, but their efforts were being hampered by the presence of gas.
A local civil defence commander says hopes of freeing the miners buried in two separate tunnels are not great. "It would be a miracle if they were alive," the head of the rescue attempt told Reuters news agency.
The mine is located near the town of San Roque in Norte de Santander state.The mine is located near the town of San Roque in Norte de Santander state.
The morning blast was caused by "some spark and the gas that was inside", Fernando Rosales, Norte de Santander's civil defence chief, told the Associated Press news agency. The rescue effort resumed early on Sunday after being suspended overnight.
The blast on Saturday was caused by "some spark and the gas that was inside", Fernando Rosales, Norte de Santander's civil defence chief said .
Colombia's civil defence authorities appealed on national radio for a gas extractor to help remove large quantities of trapped methane.Colombia's civil defence authorities appealed on national radio for a gas extractor to help remove large quantities of trapped methane.
"There is a lot of gas inside and we're in the process of trying to get it out to see if rescue crews can go inside," Mr Rosales said. Norte de Santander is an area contested by left-wing rebels and far-right paramilitary militias fighting a decades-old guerrilla war.
In 2001, a gas explosion in northern Colombia caused part of a coal mine to collapse, killing 15 workers underground.In 2001, a gas explosion in northern Colombia caused part of a coal mine to collapse, killing 15 workers underground.
In 1997, 16 miners were buried alive after a blast at coal mine in the same region in what was the country's worst mine disaster.In 1997, 16 miners were buried alive after a blast at coal mine in the same region in what was the country's worst mine disaster.