Three suspects charged over Turkey's coalmine disaster

Three suspects charged over Turkey's coalmine disaster
Humeyra Pamuk

Soma, Turkey: Turkish prosecutors have charged three people with reckless manslaughter over a mining disaster that left 301 dead and sparked fury at the government and company officials.

Rescue operations ended on Saturday in the western town of Soma after the bodies of the last two trapped miners were retrieved following the country's worst ever industrial disaster.

Prosecutors said they have ruled out an electrical fault, which was initially believed to be the cause of the devastating coalmine blast.

A preliminary report into the disaster "suggested the fire could have been caused by coal heating up after coming into contact with air", prosecutor Bekir Sahiner said on Sunday.

Full story: http://www.theage.com.au/world/three-suspects-charged-over-turkeys-coalmine-disaster-20140519-zrglm.html


-- The Age 2014-05-19