At least 11 miners died after a series of explosions in coal mines connected to each other in Cundinamarca, in the center of Colombiaaccording to the Colombian president himself, Gustav Peter.
The president assured this on Twitter they are making “every effort” to save trapped people aliveand sent a message of solidarity to the victims and their families.
According to the Colombian newspaper The viewerexplosions occurred for a gas accumulation inside the mines This was confirmed by a worker local to that portal.
“Here most people live from mines because there are none left, so, It’s time to enter the mines and may God protect you. What happens is that there are mines that accumulate a lot of gas, there is not good ventilation and since many are connected, if one has a problem of this type, the others do too,” said Argemiro Gómez Rodríguez, who worked as a miner for 27 years.
The latest budget from the Ministry of Mines and Energy indicates that there are still 10 people trapped in the mines in the municipality of Sutatausa, 74 kilometers from Bogota, where the emergency took place on Tuesday night.
Six of the bodies were recovered by lifeguards, while five others were only sighted and were awaiting recovery inside the mine, he explained. Javier Pavadirector of the state’s National Disaster Risk Management Unit.
Luis Carlo Galviz he told the news agency DAD who was saved thanks to the fact that his shift inside the mines ended the Tuesday before the explosion.
When he visited the area, he seemed concerned for his comrades and assured them after several hours of rescue some of those trapped are probably dead.
a dangerous labyrinth
The mines, interconnected by a series of tunnels and ventilation sites, are located in the rural area of Sutatausa and at the time of the emergency there were 30 workers inside, the company that manages them told the authorities.
Nine of the people who survived were transferred to medical centers and only three continued to receive treatment on Wednesday afternoon, Gestión del Riesgo said.
In an initial assessment by the governor of Cundinamarca, Nicola Garcia bustsfour deaths were reported, two people recovered alive and 17 others still trapped in the mine.
The Minister of Mines and Energy, Irene Velezhe explained to the press that an initial report indicates that the explosion was caused by a concentration of methane gas which once accumulated is highly flammable.
Álvaro Farfán, captain of the Cundinamarca fire brigade, told local media that the explosion hit five mines connected by tunnels, generating a chain blow.
In Colombia, coal mine emergencies are common, mostly due to explosions or landslides.
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Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.