At Least 22 Killed, Dozens Trapped In Turkey Mine Blast

Rescuers desperately searched Saturday for signs of remaining life after pulling out 22 bodies from under hundreds of metres of hard rock that buckled when a methane blast tore through a pit on...

Rescue workers desperately searched Saturday for signs of life after they pulled out 22 bodies from under hundreds of meters of hard rock that collapsed when a methane gas explosion hit a crater on Turkey's Black Sea coast.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said eight others were receiving intensive care in hospital after they were taken out alive when sunset hit one of Turkey's deadliest industrial accidents in years.

“We are facing a really unfortunate situation,

Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu told reporters after he rushed to the small coal-mining town of Amasra.

"In all, 110 of our brothers were working (underground). Some went out on their own, and some were rescued."

Soeli also confirmed early reports that approximately 50 workers were still trapped in two separate areas between 300 and 350 meters (985 to 1,150 feet) underground.

Television footage showed anxious crowds - some with tears in their eyes -

They gather around a damaged white building near the entrance to the crater in search of news for their friends and loved ones.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he would cancel all his other arrangements and fly to the scene on Saturday.

“We hope that the loss of life will not increase further,

"Our miners will be found alive," Erdogan said in a tweet.

All our efforts are aimed in this direction."

Most of the initial information about those trapped inside came from workers who were able to climb relatively unharmed.

But Amasra Mayor Rekai Kaker said many of those who survived were "seriously injured".

The explosion occurred moments before sunset and the darkness hampered rescue efforts.

The Turkish miners' union, Maden Ease, attributed the blast to a buildup of methane.

But other officials said it was too early to draw final conclusions about the cause of the accident.

- 2014 disaster -

Rescuers sent reinforcements from nearby villages to help search for signs of life.

Television footage showed paramedics providing oxygen to miners who were discharged and then rushed to the nearest hospital.

The local governor said a team of more than 70 rescuers managed to reach a point in the crater about 250 meters deep.

It was not immediately clear whether rescuers would be able to get close to the trapped workers or what was blocking their passage.

Turkey's disaster management service said the initial spark that caused the explosion apparently came from a faulty transformer.

It later retracted that report and said methane had ignited for "unknown causes".

The local prosecutor's office said it was treating the incident as an accident and launching a formal investigation.

BY
ProBuzzFeed