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Siberian miners trapped, 12 dead

Over 80 miners and rescue workers were trapped in a Russian mine Sunday after two methane gas blasts killed 12 and trapped rescue crews.

Reuters
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Efforts to save the survivors at the Raspadskaya mine in south-western Siberia were suspended due to the dangerous conditions.

"The rescue work will continue when the atmosphere in the mine is restored, but to conduct rescue work now means to send people to die," Kemerovo region Governor Aman Tuleyev, who was at the site, declared.

Work is underway to clear the mine of smoke.

Officials say that 359 people were underground at the time of the first blast and 300 miners managed to climb to the surface. About 40 people are reported to have been injured and seven corpses had been brought to the surface before rescue efforts were called off.

"It is clear that the situation at the mine is very hard. I would say that it is tragic," said Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, quoted by the Interfax news agency.

"The saddest thing is that we cannot send in additional rescuers now as it is very dangerous due to the lack of ventilation. But we cannot sit on our hands and must do everything to save people.”

The tragedy cast a shadow on a military parade in Moscow to mark the Soviet victory over Germany 65 years ago in World War II, the biggest event of its kind since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
 

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