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Coal mine blast kills dozens in eastern Ukraine Coal mine blast leaves dozens missing in eastern Ukraine
(about 2 hours later)
A huge blast in an underground coal mine in the eastern Ukrainian rebel stronghold of Donetsk killed at least 32 people and injured at least a dozen more Wednesday, the speaker of Ukraine’s parliament announced. A huge blast rocked a coal mine in Ukraine’s rebel-held east on Wednesday, leaving more than 30 workers missing amid shifting reports on the possible death toll.
Speaker Volodymyr Groysman told lawmakers that the accident happened just before dawn broke at the Zasyadko coal mine in the rebel-controlled city in war-wracked eastern Ukraine. The speaker of Ukraine’s parliament at first said the explosion killed at least 32 people and injured dozens more deep in the mine in Donetsk, a stronghold of pro-Russian separatists.
It was not immediately clear whether more people were trapped below. The British Broadcasting Corporation reported that separatist rebels were guarding the gray, concrete Soviet-style entrance to the mine Wednesday morning. But the speaker, Volodymyr Groysman, later revised his count to say he could confirm only one death and the fate of those unaccounted for remained unclear.
It was not immediately clear how many people were trapped below.
Approximately 70 people were working underground at the time of the explosion, a local emergencies ministry official told the Donetsk News Agency, the official mouthpiece for the Russian-backed separatists fighting the Kiev government.Approximately 70 people were working underground at the time of the explosion, a local emergencies ministry official told the Donetsk News Agency, the official mouthpiece for the Russian-backed separatists fighting the Kiev government.
The cause of the blast was not immediately clear. An explosion at Zasyadko in 2007 killed 106 people. A later statement by rebel authorities said about 230 people were in the mine at the time of the blast, which occurred at a depth of more than 3,000 feet, the Associated Press reported.
The Donetsk News Agency cited rescue services official Yuliana Bedilo as saying the explosion was caused by a mixture of gas and air, which is a common cause of industrial mining accidents. The Donetsk News Agency cited rescue services official Yuliana Bedilo as saying the explosion was caused by a combustible mixture of gas and air, which is a common cause of industrial mining accidents.
Bedilo was quoted as saying that the incident was not caused by shelling. Rescue operations were ongoing Wednesday.Bedilo was quoted as saying that the incident was not caused by shelling. Rescue operations were ongoing Wednesday.
The British Broadcasting Corporation reported that separatist rebels were guarding the gray, concrete Soviet-style entrance to the mine Wednesday morning.
The head of a local mining safety service, Vladimir Tsymbalenko, said poisonous gases released by the explosion were being removed Wednesday morning to clear the way for rescue workers to reach the blast’s epicenter.The head of a local mining safety service, Vladimir Tsymbalenko, said poisonous gases released by the explosion were being removed Wednesday morning to clear the way for rescue workers to reach the blast’s epicenter.
“Rescue workers have not yet come to the place of the explosion, they are removing the poisonous gas and then will go down,” he was quoted by news agencies as saying.“Rescue workers have not yet come to the place of the explosion, they are removing the poisonous gas and then will go down,” he was quoted by news agencies as saying.
Fighting between government forces and Russian-backed separatist rebels has been raging in eastern Ukraine for almost a year. Almost 6,000 people have been killed in the fighting.Fighting between government forces and Russian-backed separatist rebels has been raging in eastern Ukraine for almost a year. Almost 6,000 people have been killed in the fighting.
Ukrainian parliamentary speaker Groysman asked parliamentarians to pay tribute to the memory of those killed.Ukrainian parliamentary speaker Groysman asked parliamentarians to pay tribute to the memory of those killed.
Donetsk is part of territory held by pro-Russian rebels opposing the Western-looking policies of Ukraine’s government. Another cease-fire plan was reached last month, but clashes continue to flare.