The governor of the Kemerovo region, Sergei Tsivilev, announced that nine miners have died following a severe accident in a Siberian coal mine. Reports from TASS indicate the death toll may be as high as 11, though the situation remains unclear.
Currently, 49 miners are still trapped underground, and communication with them has been lost. Rescuers have managed to evacuate 237 workers from the Liztvyazhnaya mine, with over 40 requiring hospitalization for treatment.
The cause of the explosion, which occurred at a depth of 250 meters, is still under investigation, and reports indicate that the mine tunnels were filled with smoke at the time of the incident.
Coal mining in Russia is notoriously dangerous, with frequent accidents attributed to violations of safety regulations, particularly related to methane gas. This highly flammable gas can accumulate in poorly ventilated areas, leading to devastating explosions.
