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Russian gold mine fire kills 12 | Russian gold mine fire kills 12 |
(10 minutes later) | |
Twelve miners have been killed and more than 20 remain trapped following a fire in a gold mine in Russia's far east. | Twelve miners have been killed and more than 20 remain trapped following a fire in a gold mine in Russia's far east. |
The blaze broke out in the Darasun mine in the Chita region of Siberia. | The blaze broke out in the Darasun mine in the Chita region of Siberia. |
The fire, between 85m and 130m (230-430ft) below ground, has been contained but is still burning, the authorities say. | The fire, between 85m and 130m (230-430ft) below ground, has been contained but is still burning, the authorities say. |
Rescue work has been hampered by smoke. Fifteen miners who were saved from the blaze are being treated in hospital for smoke inhalation. | Rescue work has been hampered by smoke. Fifteen miners who were saved from the blaze are being treated in hospital for smoke inhalation. |
Those of us who could... got out. The remaining are still down there. My brother's there. I can't say any more Nikolai BronnikovRussian miner | Those of us who could... got out. The remaining are still down there. My brother's there. I can't say any more Nikolai BronnikovRussian miner |
Specialist teams were being flown to the Darasun mine, which is about 4,700km (2,900 miles) east of Moscow, Russian emergency officials said. | Specialist teams were being flown to the Darasun mine, which is about 4,700km (2,900 miles) east of Moscow, Russian emergency officials said. |
Hope of survivors | Hope of survivors |
The cause of the fire is not yet unclear. | The cause of the fire is not yet unclear. |
The company which owns the mine, Highland Gold Mining, said the bodies of 12 miners had been recovered. | The company which owns the mine, Highland Gold Mining, said the bodies of 12 miners had been recovered. |
"The main thing today and now is to save the people and finish off this rescue operation," said Dmitry Yakushkin, the company's communication director. | "The main thing today and now is to save the people and finish off this rescue operation," said Dmitry Yakushkin, the company's communication director. |
A spokesman for Russia's emergencies ministry said there was still hope of finding survivors. | A spokesman for Russia's emergencies ministry said there was still hope of finding survivors. |
The trapped miners have breathing devices that should help them survive for several hours, Russian media reported. | The trapped miners have breathing devices that should help them survive for several hours, Russian media reported. |
One miner described what happened when the blaze broke out. | One miner described what happened when the blaze broke out. |
"It got smoky. Those of us who could - there was five of us - got out. The others are back in the mine," Nikolai Bronnikov told Russian TV. | "It got smoky. Those of us who could - there was five of us - got out. The others are back in the mine," Nikolai Bronnikov told Russian TV. |
"Other guys used emergency exits and got to the surface. The remaining are still down there. My brother's there. I can't say any more." | "Other guys used emergency exits and got to the surface. The remaining are still down there. My brother's there. I can't say any more." |
Highland Gold Mining, which is registered in Jersey, saw its shares fall more than 7% during trading on the London Stock Exchange on Friday morning. | |
Russia's gold mines have a better safety record than the coal-mining industry, where many accidents have happened since the early 1990s. | Russia's gold mines have a better safety record than the coal-mining industry, where many accidents have happened since the early 1990s. |