An explosion at a Turkish coal mine followed by a fire has killed 201 people while hundreds of workers remain trapped.
Turkey’s Energy Minister, Taner Yildiz said 787 people were inside the coal mine in Soma, some 250 kilometers (155 miles) south of Istanbul, at the time of the explosion but only 363 have been rescued so far.
According to ABC News, the minister said the fire was still blazing 18 hours after the blast and the air around the mine was still smoky.
Yildiz said that many of the deaths at Soma Komur Isletmeleri AS’s mine in the Aegean province of Manisa were caused by carbon monoxide poisoning.
The rescue operation includes more than 400 workers and President Abdullah Gul has ordered Turkey to mobilise all necessary means as the rescue effort continues.
The devastating aftermath of the explosion
SOMA Komur Isletmeleri A.S., which owns the mine, said the accident occurred despite the “highest safety measures and constant controls” and added that an investigation was underway.
“Our main priority is to get our workers out so that they may be reunited with their loved ones,” read a statement issued by the company.
Images via BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images
