All 19 miners underground at the time of a gas explosion at a coal mine in western Turkey were killed, national media reported on Friday, citing Turkish Labor Minister Omer Dincer.
The blast occurred at a mine in the Deveci village in the western Bursa province on Thursday evening at a depth of about 220 meters (700 feet). The explosion caused a shaft to collapse in the mine.
Initial reports said six miners had been killed and 13 were trapped.
Mine accidents are common in Turkey due to high methane concentration, safety violations and outdated equipment.
In 1992, 270 miners died in a methane explosion near the Black Sea port of Zonguldak.
ANKARA, December 11 (RIA Novosti)
