Turkey coal mine explosion: Death toll soars

ANKARA: -- An explosion at a mine in western Turkey has left 151 workers dead and scores injured, officials say.

Energy Ministry Taner Yildiz said 787 people had been inside the mine at Soma in Manisa province when an electrical fault triggered the blast.

A huge rescue operation is under way to reach hundreds more miners still trapped underground.

Worried relatives have gathered near the privately owned mine, about 450km (280 miles) west of the capital Ankara.

Mr Yildiz confirmed the latest death toll on Turkish TV and said some 76 people had been injured.

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-27403061


-- BBC 2014-05-14

Live coverage of rescue attempts on quite a few channels.

Current casualties seem to be over 200, hundreds still trapped inside.

Rescue attempts go slow due to gas in the mine (at least, that's one explanation given).

A real tragedy for the families, many can be seen waiting outside.

I lived in Turkey for a time. Lovely country and a lot of nice people. My thoughts are with the family.

I lived in Turkey for a time. Lovely country and a lot of nice people. My thoughts are with the family.

Yes, agreed, spent a little bit of time there and always met nice folk.

I am saddened at this news, aweful way to go.

As anticipated this quickly turned political, like most issues do nowadays in Turkey:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/14/turkey-mine-disaster-anger-rage-hopes-survivors-fade

Turkey Coal Mine diaster. It need not have happened. At least not to the extent it has, and more dead bodies will be recovered.

As a retired Underground Mining Engineer in Australia, the Turks should send someone there to inspect our safety records, and safety devices and arrangements.

First of all, all miners should wear a rescue breather. Nothing will save the people close to an explosion or fire, but if there were indeed about 800 people in the mine at the time, they would not all be near neither the explosion or the fire. A rescue breather lasts for about 1 hour, and people would be able to move around the mine for that time.

Under the mine itself, at a walking distance of about half an hour security chambers should be constructed. They should be fireproof and explosion proof. They should be air tight, and contain bottled air and oxygen and medical supplies, Water and bottled drinks, canned food for a month for the people there, and a telephone connection to the surface.

There are two main mining methods, old fashioned " Board and Pillar " and the modern " Long Wall " methods. At 2 km down, there are no possibilities for an " Opencut " mine.

In either of the two above first mentioned mining options the further above safety measures could easily be installed - at a reasonable cost.

Must be preferable to the 3000 deaths so far. I hope the will read this.

My sympathy is with the poor miners and their families. I can understand, and sympathise with their grief.