Explosion Kills 8 Mine Workers in Zonguldak

Yesterday afternoon, 8 mine workers were killed in the Black Sea province of Zonguldak after a methane gas leakage caused a massive explosion in 630 meters under soil.

Confirming the 8 casualties, Zonguldak province governor Erol Ayyıldız said the officials were doing their best to reach the bodies of the dead workers.

"The incident took place at 1pm in 630 meters under soil," Burhan İnan Kozlu, Turkish Coal Institution Chair informed.

CNNTürk listed the names of the casualties as Hüseyin Kürekçi, Hasan Bozacı, Muharrem Yapıcı, Yüksel Koca, Ahmet Şekerci, Köksal Kadıoğlu, Muhsin Akyüz and Satılmış Arslan.

While 8 workers lost their lives after the explosion, coal mine Hayrettin Dağkıran marked as the only survivor of the incident.

Officials said they only reached 8 dead bodies so far but the whereabouts of 3 other workers were still unknown.

According to Mining Engineers Chamber of Turkey, 79 mine workers lost their lives in 2011. Worker Health and Work Safety Assembly noted 81 casualties at mines in Turkey in 2012.

In February 2011, another gas explosion left 9 mine workers dead in Kahramanmaras province with the mine workers' bodies yet to be found. (EKN/NV)