After the serious accident with more than 50 dead in a coal mine in Russia, the judicial authorities obtained several arrest warrants against those responsible for security. The director of the “Listwjaschnaja” coal mine in western Siberia, his deputy and two senior employees of the state supervisory authority were arrested today, according to a court in Kemerovo.
They are accused of being responsible for safety violations, as well as the deaths of miners and rescue workers. There was a methane gas explosion in the mine in Belovo on Thursday. 51 people died, including five rescue workers who had gone in search of the miners.
Surprisingly, a 51-year-old man who had survived under rubble after an explosion and fought his way to the surface was rescued. The man was one of the rescue workers. One chief of operations spoke of a “miracle”.
Rescue of the victims continues
In the meantime, the emergency services resumed the work to rescue the dead, which had been temporarily suspended due to the risk of explosion. The governor of Kemerovo, Sergei Ziwiljow, announced in the news channel Telegram. “We have to get everyone out,” he said.
It is the worst mining accident in Russia for more than ten years. More than 40 people were injured. They are cared for in hospitals. According to the Ministry of Civil Protection, 239 workers were rescued from the shaft. The mine is located around 3,000 kilometers east of the capital Moscow.
According to investigators, methane had already accumulated in the air in the shaft of the famous Kuznetsk coal basin (Kuzbass) since mid-June. This created an explosive mixture, it was said. The highly flammable mine gas methane is released during work in the mining industry and, if there is poor ventilation, accumulates in the shafts and underground routes. Work in the Russian coal mines is considered life-threatening.
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