Reuters AlertNet Lite - Ukrainian mine catches fire, over 600 miners safe

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Ukrainian mine catches fire, over 600 miners safe

26 Mar 2007 16:13:26 GMT
Source: Reuters

KIEV, March 26 (Reuters) - Rescue teams safely evacuated more than 600 miners from a Ukrainian coal mine on Monday, shortly after the mine-shaft caught fire, the Emergencies Ministry said.

Last week at least 108 people died in an underground explosion at a Siberian mine in neighbouring Russia in what became the nation's worst mining accident since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.

"A total of 608 miners were evacuated. Twenty-six stayed underground to help rescuers and do maintenance works in the pit," a Ukrainian Emergencies Ministry official told Reuters.

He said the accident in the eastern Luhansk region had been caused by "unauthorised works with open fire" in the pit. He did not elaborate.

Hundreds die in mining accidents each year in the former Soviet Union where coal mines are deep and often all but depleted, with by poor maintenance and breaches of safety standards.

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Last updated:Mon Mar 26 16:13:18 2007