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Emergency airplane brings special equipment for rescuers in Vorkuta

As many as 259 miners were underground at the moment of the blast, eighteen miners were killed

MOSCOW, February 12 (Itar-Tass) – An emergency airplane has brought the special equipment for the mining rescuers in Vorkuta, the information department of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations told Itar-Tass on Tuesday.

“The emergency airplane Il-76 landed at 09:01 Moscow time at the Vorkuta airport, bringing the special equipment and outfits for the mining rescuers, who are involved in the cleanup of the aftermaths of the gas explosion at the coalmine Vorkutinskaya,” the information department reported.

Russian Minister of Emergency Situations Vladimir Puchkov said earlier that a special stock of outfits, equipment, machinery and safety equipment for the mining rescuers from the Russian Republic of Komi was formed.

The tragedy occurred at about 10:30 Moscow time on Monday at the shaft number eight at the coalmine Vorkutinskaya. According to the preliminary version, a spontaneous concentration of methane that was higher than the standard level triggered the blast. As many as 259 miners were underground at the moment of the blast. Eighteen miners were killed and three miners were injured.

The criminal case was opened under an article of the Russian Criminal Code for violation of the safety rules in mining operations that entailed the death of two and more people. The prosecutor’s office launched an inquiry in the ways how the requirements of the legislation on labour protection and industrial security are observed at the coalmining company Vorkutaugol, which this coalmine belongs to.