More than 30 killed in coal mine blast in rebel-held east Ukraine

A blast at a coal mine in the eastern Ukrainian rebel stronghold of Donetsk has killed more than 30 people, a local official said on Wednesday, with dozens more miners who were underground at the time still unaccounted for. Miners’ relatives were gathering at the entrance to the Zasyadko mine desperately trying to get more information. Local officials said about 70 people were working in the mine when the explosion happened.

I’ve been down the pit for 23 years, and this is the fourth explosion that I can recall. If they didn’t get them out straight away, then later they will only retrieve bodies. An explosion is a terrible thing.

A welder at the mine, who gave his name as Oleg

One worker, leaving the mine in dirty overalls, said he had heard that 45 people were still trapped underground, though there was no immediate confirmation of this figure. Vladimir Tsymbalenko, the head of the local mining safety service, said the cause of the blast was not immediately clear. The mines in Donbass are among some of the most dangerous in the world due to the high levels of methane produced which increase the risk of explosions.

Europe Zasyadko