KEMEROVO, November 16. /TASS/. Two miners were trapped following a cave-in in the Tashtagolskaya coalmine in Siberia’s Kemerovo Region; one of them was rescued and the other remains unaccounted for, first responders told TASS.
The collapse occurred at 3:20 a.m. local time on Saturday (8:20 p.m. GMT on Friday), at the depth of 320 meters.
"Two people have been trapped as a result. One of them has already been lifted to surface and is now receiving medical care. The search for the other one is ongoing," a rescue source told TASS.
The rescued miner was diagnosed with concussion. His condition is not life-threatening.
In turn, the Office of the Kemerovo Region’s Prosecutor said the collapse followed a "registered geodynamic event with energy class of 5.4."
The region’s emergencies ministry department said mine rescue teams were dispatched at 4:45 a.m. local time on Saturday (9:45 p.m. GMT on Friday). The effort involves 25 people.
A criminal investigation is under way into potential violation of industrial safety standards.