January 23 saw the funeral of nine miners killed in a methane gas explosion at Krasnolymanska Coal Mine in Donetsk oblast. The accident happened at the 9:36 a.m. on January 21 in Krasnolymanska’s 800 meter deep southern face. The Ministry for Emergencies press center told The Daythat the explosion of an air/methane mixture and the fire that followed took the lives of nine miners out of the 59 working in the mine at the time of the accident.
Fifty miners were rescued, with fifteen rushed to the Donetsk Burn Center suffering from various burns. As the director of Academy of Medical Sciences’ Institute of Reconstructive Surgery Volodymyr Husak informed The Day, three of the fifteen victims are in a critical condition, while eight are suffering from third and the rest from second degree burns. Many miners have burns in their respiratory tracts and brain concussions.
In all, 284 rescue workers and 135 pieces of equipment have been involved in rescue operations. Efforts to fight the fire continue. A government commission was set up to investigate what caused the accident and to assist to the victims and families of those who perished. A team of experts from the Donetsk Oblast State Administration’s department for emergencies is working at the scene.
