Miners trapped as a result of methane explosion

Massive methane explosion took place at 650 meters in the “Taijina” mine in Kemerov region, reported ITAR-TASS. According to preliminary information, “there is neither fire nor major destructions in the mine.”

At 10:00 am MSK, a total amount of victims constituted 7 people. 13 were rescued. Rescue works continue searching for another 32 miners. In his telephone conversation with the head of Moscow's Emergency Ministry Sergey Shoigu Governor of the Kemerov region Aman Tuleev has talked about those measures that were used in rescuing the miners.

There were 52 people in the mine at the moment of the explosion.

Those who have already been hospitalized remain in stable condition. According to the director of the mine Valeri Naumkin, “supposedly, this methane explosion has affected majority of underground pathways. This factor complicates the on-going rescue works.” Nonetheless, “13 separate groups of rescuers is working underground; they are aiming at getting as many people as possible from there in relatively short time.”

The last similar incident took place in “Taijina” in 2002. Back then, three miners have been buried underground at 100 meters. It took rescuers two hours to evacuate all the miners. A lot of the people received serious head injuries and multiples bone fractures. One of them died on the way to the hospital.