Nine killed in central Colombia mine explosion
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Accidents at mines in Colombia are frequent and often fatal.
PHOTO: FEDERICO RIOS/NYTIMES
BOGOTA – Nine miners died on May 4 in an explosion inside a coal mine in central Colombia caused by a build-up of gases, according to a final toll released by the mining authority.
Mining accidents in Colombia are frequent and often fatal, especially in illegal or makeshift mines.
The incident on May 4 took place at a legally operated mine in the Sutatausa municipality, 74km north of the capital Bogota.
The National Mining Agency said in a statement that six miners were rescued and nine were reported dead “following an emergency at a mine in Sutatausa, Cundinamarca”.
Cundinamarca Governor Jorge Emilio Rey said on social media platform X that the explosion was “apparently due to a build-up of gases”.
The governor had previously said that 12 people were trapped and three had managed to escape.
Rescue workers were on their way to the site, he said, sharing images of ambulances at the mine’s entrance.
The authorities were assessing gas levels in the mine before conducting rescue operations, he added.
Mining accidents in Colombia usually occur due to poor ventilation.
In the area where incident on May 4 took place, illegal mines that fail to meet safety standards are also in operation. AFP
