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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Russia mine explosion 'kills 17' | Russia mine explosion 'kills 17' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A methane explosion at a coal mine in Siberia has killed at least 17 people, Russian officials have said. | A methane explosion at a coal mine in Siberia has killed at least 17 people, Russian officials have said. |
| They said dozens of miners, some injured, had been rescued after the blast at the Ulyanovskaya mine in the Kemerovo region. | They said dozens of miners, some injured, had been rescued after the blast at the Ulyanovskaya mine in the Kemerovo region. |
| The officials said 168 miners were underground at the time of the blast. The rescue operation is continuing. | The officials said 168 miners were underground at the time of the blast. The rescue operation is continuing. |
| Russia's coal mines are notoriously unsafe. A methane blast at a Kemerovo coal mine killed 21 miners in 2005. | Russia's coal mines are notoriously unsafe. A methane blast at a Kemerovo coal mine killed 21 miners in 2005. |
| Rescued | Rescued |
| The blast at Ulyanovskaya happened at about 1030 Moscow time (0730 GMT). | The blast at Ulyanovskaya happened at about 1030 Moscow time (0730 GMT). |
| "It was a methane gas explosion," a spokeswoman at Russia's emergency ministry told AFP news agency. | |
| "The latest information is that there were 168 miners inside at the time of the blast," she said. | "The latest information is that there were 168 miners inside at the time of the blast," she said. |
| Russia's Itar-Tass news agency reported that at least 55 miners had been rescued so far. | Russia's Itar-Tass news agency reported that at least 55 miners had been rescued so far. |
| The mine is located in Novokuznetsk, about 3,000km (1,850 miles) east of the capital, Moscow. | The mine is located in Novokuznetsk, about 3,000km (1,850 miles) east of the capital, Moscow. |
| It was opened in 2002 and had modern equipment, regional officials said. | It was opened in 2002 and had modern equipment, regional officials said. |
| Russia's coal mines are largely unprofitable and many have not invested in new safety equipment since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. | Russia's coal mines are largely unprofitable and many have not invested in new safety equipment since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. |