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Death toll soars to 52 in Russian coal mine fire Death toll soars to 52 in Russian coal mine accident - reports
(about 2 hours later)
The coal mine is in Siberia, some 3,500km (2,175 miles) east of MoscowThe coal mine is in Siberia, some 3,500km (2,175 miles) east of Moscow
The death toll from an accident at a Siberian coal mine has risen to 52, according to Russian media reports. At least 52 people are reported to have died in Russia's worst mining disaster in a decade.
Eleven people were intially confirmed to have died after coal dust in a ventilation shaft caught fire early on Thursday, filling the mine with smoke. The incident started when coal dust in a ventilation shaft caught fire on Thursday, filling the Siberian mine with smoke and killing 11.
A rescue operation had hoped to find survivors, but ended in tragedy. By nightfall, a failed operation to reach dozens of missing miners had turned to tragedy after several rescuers reportedly suffocated.
One rescue team lost touch with the surface, with at least three rescuers confirmed to have died - although local media suggest the toll is higher. An emergency services source told one news agency "no one is left alive".
About 285 people were in the mine at the time of the accident, with the majority escaping. Of those, 49 were taken to hospital with injuries, officials said. Some of the injured have smoke poisoning, and four are said to be in a critical condition. The majority of the 285 people in the the Listvyazhnaya mine, in the Kemerovo region some 3,500km (2,175 miles) east of Moscow, escaped in the immediate aftermath of the incident, at around 08:35 local time (01:35 GMT) on Thursday.
It was thought 35 miners remained unaccounted for in the Listvyazhnaya mine, in the Kemerovo region some 3,500km (2,175 miles) east of Moscow. Officials said 49 had been taken to hospital with injuries. Some of the injured have smoke poisoning, and four are said to be in a critical condition.
Both the Russian state news agency Tass and privately-owned Interfax reported that the death toll had risen to 52 on Thursday evening, with one emergency service source telling Tass "no one was left alive". Dozens of miners were unable to escape after the initial incident, but rescue operations had to be suspended after dangerously high levels of methane were detected in the mine, prompting fears of possible explosions.
It is unclear how many rescue workers are among the fatalities. Russia's privately-owned Interfax news agency quoted a source saying the oxygen supply of some of the search party had run out. One of the rescue teams then failed to emerge from the mine. The bodies of three rescuers were later found, bringing the official death toll to 14.
The search for more survivors was paused earlier on Thursday amid fears that dangerously high levels of methane in the mine could cause an explosion. Then late on Thursday several sources told Russian media agencies that no further survivors were expected to be found and the death toll had risen to more than 50, including six rescuers in total.
Local governor Sergei Tsivilev said in a video on Telegram that work would resume "as soon as the gas concentration decreases to a safe level". Three people, including the mine director, have been arrested over alleged safety failings, Reuters news agency reports.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he hoped "(they) will be able to save as many people as possible", describing the loss of life as "a great tragedy".
This is not the first accident at the mine, according to local media, with a methane gas explosion killing 13 in 2004. More widely, accidents in Russian mines are not uncommon.This is not the first accident at the mine, according to local media, with a methane gas explosion killing 13 in 2004. More widely, accidents in Russian mines are not uncommon.
In 2016, authorities assessed the safety of the country's 58 coal mines and declared 34% of them potentially unsafe. The list did not include the Listvyazhnaya mine at the time, Russian reports say.In 2016, authorities assessed the safety of the country's 58 coal mines and declared 34% of them potentially unsafe. The list did not include the Listvyazhnaya mine at the time, Russian reports say.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he hoped "(they) will be able to save as many people as possible", describing the loss of life as "a great tragedy".