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Russia mine explosion 'kills 17' Siberian mine explosion kills 25
(about 1 hour 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 25 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 88 miners, several of them 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 at least 168 miners were underground at the time of the blast. Dozens still remain trapped.
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.
RescuedRescued
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."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. Local officials said that 88 miners had been brought to the surface so far.
Russia's Itar-Tass news agency reported that at least 55 miners had been rescued so far. Rescue teams are continuing their search for the remaining miners still trapped underground. Their fate remains unknown.
President Vladimir Putin ordered Emergency Situations Minister Sergei Shoigu to fly to the area to oversee the rescue operation, Russian news agencies reported.
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.
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