Ukraine rescuers search for blast survivors

Rescuers battled a raging fire and deadly gases deep in an eastern Ukrainian coal mine today, looking for survivors from a methane gas explosion that killed at least 25 miners.

Oleh Venzhyk, a spokesman for the Ministry for Emergency Situations, said the blast hit a section of the Krasnolimanskaya mine in the Donetsk region, about 3,000 feet below the surface.

Rescuers had recovered the bodies of 25 miners by early today and 11 others were still missing, Venzhyk said.

“Rocks and debris make our job incredibly difficult … it’s a complete mess down there,” a rescuer who gave his name only as Volodymyr said.

More than 50 rescue teams searching for dead and injured miners were being hampered by raging fires, high concentrations of poisonous gases, heavy smoke and temperatures reaching up to 50C (120F), Volodymyr said.

“We will keep searching at all costs,” Venzhyk said.

At the time of the explosion, 48 miners were at work. 12 managed to escape.

Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, Deputy Prime Minister Andrey Kluyev and other top officials travelled to the mine to monitor rescue efforts.

Ukraine’s mines are considered to be among the world’s most deadly due to high concentrations of methane gas, frequent violations of safety rules and outdated equipment.

According to the Fuel and Energy Ministry, more than 75% of Ukraine’s 200 coal mines are classified as “dangerous”.