...

Turkish Energy Ministry has no data on number of workers involved in mine accident

Other News Materials 14 May 2014 12:38 (UTC +04:00)
The Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources does not have accurate data on the number of workers who were in the mine at the time of the explosion, Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yildiz said, TRT Haber channel reported on May 14.
Turkish Energy Ministry has no data on number of workers involved in mine accident

Baku, Azerbaijan, May 14

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

The Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources does not have accurate data on the number of workers who were in the mine at the time of the explosion, Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yildiz said, TRT Haber channel reported on May 14.

"The published data on the number of workers was previously provided by the head of the mine," he said.

He also said that at present, work is underway to rescue more than 150 miners.

The minister added that some 370 people were rescued as part of the operations.

Few chances remain to rescue the miners, Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yildiz said earlier.

"The mine has burst into flame," he said. "Although the miners have few chances for survival, the rescuers will do everything possible."

Most of the miners died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning.

The death toll has increased to 201 people, more than 500 people remain under the rubble, according to recent reports, Yildiz said.

The minister earlier had said that 787 people were at work during the mining accident and 363 of the miners had been rescued. Earlier it was reported that some 166 people were killed as a result of this explosion.

It is difficult to determine the exact number of dead since the explosion occurred during a shift change. The accident occurred at the mine in the Soma settlement of Manisa province, located 250 kilometers south of Istanbul. The mine is located at a depth of about two kilometers.

A short circuit caused the fire and explosion that led to the mine collapse, according to preliminary data.

More than 3,000 people were killed and over 100,000 received various injuries from 1941 to the present day as a result of the mine accidents in Turkey.

Some 10.4 percent of all work-related accidents occur at mines in Turkey, according to the report.

In the first four months of 2014, some 1,235 people were killed as a result of work accidents in Turkey, 103 of them were female.

The worst mine accident in Turkey's history occurred in the province of Zonguldak in 1992, killing 263 workers.

The report gives the mine accident statistics in Turkey:

March 7, 1983: mine explosion in Zonguldak - 103 dead;
April 10, 1983: mine explosion in Kutahya - 10 dead;
January 10, 1987: mine explosion in Kutahya - eight dead;
January 31, 1990: mine explosion in Bartin - five dead;
February 7, 1990: mine explosion in Amasya - 63 dead;
March 3, 1992: mine explosion in Zonguldak - 263 dead;

March 26, 1995: mine explosion in Yozgart - 37 killed;
November 22, 2003: mine explosion in Karaman - 10 dead;
September 8, 2004: mine explosion in Kastamonu - 19 dead;
June 2, 2006: mine explosion in Balikesir - 17 dead;
December 10, 2009: mine explosion in Bursa - 19 dead;
May 17, 2010: mine explosion in Zonguldak - 30 dead;
January 8, 2013: mine explosion in Zonguldak - eight dead.

Photo Anadolu

Tags:
Latest

Latest