Twenty Miners Killed in Slovakia Coal Pit Explosion

A build-up of flammable gases caused the explosion, officials said. Photo by blog.kievukraine.info

Twenty miners are dead after an explosion at a coal pit in Slovakia, Economy Minister Lubomir Jahnatek confirmed.

The blast occurred at Handlova, 200 km north-east of the capital, Bratislava. Prime Minister Robert Fico said it was "an immense tragedy".

A build-up of flammable gases caused the explosion, officials said, cited by the BBC.

The economy minister said: "The rescuers found six bodies 65 metres from the epicentre of the explosion. They couldn't get any further as the conditions in the mine do not support life.

"All victims probably died at the moment of explosion," he added.

Fico said late on Monday at the site of accident that the government would meet on Tuesday to declare a period of national mourning.

 

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