A fire in a coal mine in Siberia, Russia, has killed more and more people. It has grown to 50 people. Rescue operations to find those still trapped in the pit are said to be challenging due to the heavy smoke and risk of explosion.
This is Park Ji-yoon, staff reporter.
[기자]
The mine where the accident occurred belongs to the Kuzbass mine in Siberia, Russia.
At around 8:50 a.m. local time on the 25th, the fire that started at 250 meters underground spread to the entire coal mine.
It is believed to have started from a fire ignited by coal powder, but the exact cause of the ignition is still unknown.
The state said 285 miners were working, of which only 239 were evacuated.
52 people have died so far, including 46 people who were unable to evacuate and 6 rescuers.
Among the evacuated miners, 49 were injured, four in critical condition.
[체르니코바 옥사나 니콜라예브나/광부보건센터 책임 의사 : 구급차와 구조대가 30명을 데리고 왔습니다. 그들은 건강 상태가 좋아졌습니다. 나머지 2명은 중환자실에 입원해 있습니다.]
Rescue operations are also struggling.
[세르게이 치빌레프/러시아 케메로보 주지사 : 폭발 가능성이 매우 큽니다. 가스 농도가 줄어들 때까지 수색과 구조 작업을 중단하기로 했습니다.]
The accident is the largest since a methane gas explosion at a coal mine in Russia’s Komi Republic in 2016 killed 36 miners, local media reported.
(Video design: Jung Soo-im)
