Suspects held as last of 301 mine victims buried

A Turkish court ordered three suspects to be kept in custody yesterday on a provisional charge of "causing multiple deaths" in last week’s mine disaster, as the last of the 301 victims were buried.

Of the remaining 22 people detained earlier, six suspects were released but could face prosecution later. Questioning of the other 16 people was continuing last night.

The detentions came five days after a fire sent deadly carbon monoxide coursing through the mine in the western town of Soma, causing Turkey’s worst ever industrial accident.

The disaster has sparked protests across Turkey, directed at mine owners accused of ignoring safety for profit and at Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s government, seen as too close to industry bosses and insensitive in its response.

An initial report on the possible causes of the accident indicated the fire may have been triggered by coal heating up after it came into contact with the air, prosecutor Bekir Sahiner told reporters outside the Soma courthouse, rejecting initial reports that a transformer explosion was responsible.

“The crime of which the suspects are accused is causing multiple deaths and injuries due to negligence.”

Sahiner did not identify the three suspects kept in custody but reports said they were the plant manager and two mine engineers.

Earlier, relatives of those detained joined the crowd of reporters and bystanders outside the courthouse.

“We know that we have lost 301 loved ones, but we have loved ones inside as well,” said a brother of one of the detained engineers.

Among those detained was the general manager of the mining company, Soma Madencilik, and the son of the company’s owner.

Erdogan has presided over a decade of rapid economic growth but workplace safety standards have failed to keep pace, leaving Turkey with one of the world’s worst industrial accident records.

The plant manager has denied negligence at the mine, which was inspected by state officials every six months.

The rescue operation at the coal mine ended on Saturday after the bodies of the last two workers were carried out. They were buried yesterday. Mourners cried and prayed beside a line of recently filled graves as one of them was buried in Soma.

Holding their palms open to the sky, about a thousand people said “amen” in unison as a white-bearded imam recited verses.

“My only wish and battle will be to make sure Soma is not forgotten,” said a written note, signed “your brother”, left on one grave.

Ramazan, a worker from a mine near the one where the accident occurred, was among those paying his respects. “My friend lost half of his family. And for what? To make a living,” he said. “Accidents can happen of course, but it’s an accident when one person, two people die. When 300 people die, it’s not an accident anymore.”

Reuters