#amasraturkey

[mr-michael-kyle]

At least 41 individuals have died and many more have been injured following a coal mine explosion in Turkey, officials in the country stated.

The blast occurred late Friday in the northern Turkish town of Amasra, on the coast of the Black Sea. A report from Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, per BBC News, stated that a minimum of 11 individuals have been injured and transported to area hospitals. One of these victims was later discharged.

At least 58 individuals working in the mine when the blast went off have been able to flee without harm, either from escaping themselves or being rescued. A total of 110 individuals had been in the mine when the accident occurred, BBC News reported, with at least half of them at a depth of almost 1,000 feet.

Emergency crews worked through the night into Saturday morning to continue and rescue survivors, as family and friends of those trapped reportedly started arriving at the mine awaiting news. The Associated Press reported that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived at the scene just as a 41st victim was pulled from the rubble.

“We don’t want to see deficiencies or unnecessary risks,” Erdogan stated, adding that an investigation into the explosion would quickly get underway.

BBC News reported that it was suspected the explosion was brought on by a flammable mixture of gasses that became trapped in the mine.

The worst mining disaster in Turkish history occurred in the town of Soma in 2014, when 301 individuals died in a blast.

Source: At least 41 dead following coal mine explosion in Turkey