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Coal mine blast leaves dozens missing in eastern Ukraine Coal mine blast leaves dozens missing in eastern Ukraine
(35 minutes later)
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.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.
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. The speaker of Ukraine’s parliament at first said the explosion killed at least 32 people and injured dozens deep in the mine in Donetsk, a stronghold of pro-Russian separatists.
But the speaker, Volodymyr Groysman, later revised his count to say he could confirm only one death. He said the fate of those unaccounted for remained unclear. News agencies reported that as many as 10 miners were killed.But the speaker, Volodymyr Groysman, later revised his count to say he could confirm only one death. He said the fate of those unaccounted for remained unclear. News agencies reported that as many as 10 miners were killed.
It was not immediately clear how many people were trapped below.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 of the Russian-backed separatists fighting the Kiev government. About 70 people were working underground at the time, a local Emergencies Ministry official told the Donetsk News Agency, the official mouthpiece of the separatists fighting the Kiev government.
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.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 combustible 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 that a combustible mixture of gas and air, which is a common cause of industrial mining accidents, caused the explosion and that shelling was not to blame.
Bedilo was quoted as saying that the incident was not caused by shelling. Rescue operations were ongoing Wednesday. Rescue operations were ongoing Wednesday.
The British Broadcasting Corp. reported that separatist rebels were guarding the gray, concrete Soviet-style entrance to the mine Wednesday morning. The BBC reported that rebels were guarding the gray, 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,” news agencies quoted him as saying.
Fighting between government forces and Russian-backed separatist rebels has been raging in eastern Ukraine for almost a year. More than 6,000 people have been killed in the fighting. Fighting between government forces and the Russian-backed rebels has been raging in eastern Ukraine for almost a year. More than 6,000 people have been killed in the fighting.
Ukrainian parliamentary speaker Groysman asked lawmakers to pay tribute to the memory of those killed. Donetsk is part of the territory held by the rebels. A cease-fire agreement was reached last month, but clashes continue.
Donetsk is part of territory held by pro-Russian rebels opposing the Western-oriented policies of Ukraine’s government. Another cease-fire plan was reached last month, but clashes continue to flare.