This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/5326484.stm

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Russian gold mine fire kills 12 Russian gold mine fire kills 12
(about 2 hours later)
Twelve miners have been killed and more than 20 remain trapped following a fire in a gold mine in Russia's far east.Twelve miners have been killed and more than 20 remain trapped following a fire in a gold mine in Russia's far east.
The blaze broke out on Thursday in the UK-owned mine of Vershino-Darasunsky in the Chita region. The blaze broke out in the Darasun mine in the Chita region of Siberia.
The fire, which burnt at a depth of between 85m and 130m (230-430ft), has been contained, the authorities say. The fire, between 85m and 130m (230-430ft) below ground, has been contained but is still burning, the authorities say.
Rescuers have been hampered by smoke in the damaged section of the mine. Fifteen of the 31 saved miners are in hospital for smoke inhalation. Rescue work has been hampered by smoke. Fifteen miners who were saved from the blaze are being treated in hospital for smoke inhalation.
A plane with rescue workers was sent from the Siberian mining city of Novovkuznetsk to help the local effort. Those of us who could... got out. The remaining are still down there. My brother's there. I can't say any more Nikolai BronnikovRussian miner
Specialised teams were being flown to Darasun which is about 4,700km (2,900 miles) east of Moscow, Russian emergency officials said. Specialist teams were being flown to the Darasun mine, which is about 4,700km (2,900 miles) east of Moscow, Russian emergency officials said.
The cause of the fire is yet unclear. A regional official in Chita suggested negligence during welding work. Hope of survivors
The cause of the fire is not yet unclear.
The company which owns the mine, Highland Gold Mining, said the bodies of 12 miners had been recovered.
"The main thing today and now is to save the people and finish off this rescue operation," said Dmitry Yakushkin, the company's communication director.
A spokesman for Russia's emergencies ministry said there was still hope of finding survivors.
The trapped miners have breathing devices that should help them survive for several hours, Russian media reported.
One miner described what happened when the blaze broke out.
"It got smoky. Those of us who could - there was five of us - got out. The others are back in the mine," Nikolai Bronnikov told Russian TV.
"Other guys used emergency exits and got to the surface. The remaining are still down there. My brother's there. I can't say any more."
Russia's gold mines have a better safety record than the coal-mining industry, where many accidents have happened since the early 1990s.