8 Dead, 15 Missing in Poland Mine Blast

[NVMojo]

WARSAW, Poland (AP) -

Eight coal miners were killed after a suspected gas explosion in a mine in southern Poland on Tuesday, and fears were growing as rescuers tried to reach 15 others trapped more than 3,000 feet underground.

The accident occurred as the men were demolishing a wall in an underground corridor at the Halemba coal mine in the city of Ruda Slaska, said Southern Mining Co., which operates the mine.

"Eight are dead," Jan Sienkiewicz, spokesman for the Halemba mine, told The Associated Press. He declined to give details.

The men were among a group of 31 miners who had been removing equipment from a shaft that had been closed for mining because it had been deemed too dangerous, said Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski, who flew to the mine and met with rescuers. He said eight miners had managed to escape.

"This is a tragedy. People have died here," Kaczynski said.

more...

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/w-eur/2006/nov/21/112104377.html

[Eugene]

1. Reuters: Hope fades for 15 miners trapped in Polish mine

Hope fades for 15 miners trapped in Polish mine
22 Nov 2006 11:11:34 GMT
Source: Reuters

By Wojciech Zurawski

RUDA SLASKA, Poland, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Hopes of saving 15 miners trapped deep
underground in a Polish coal mine faded on Wednesday as rising gas levels and
flooding forced a temporary break in rescue efforts.

More than 50 emergency workers dug through 500 metres of rubble overnight to try
to save the miners left in a shaft about 1 km beneath the town of Ruda Slaska,
300 km (190 miles) southwest of the capital of Warsaw, after a gas explosion
on Tuesday.

At least eight other miners were killed by the blast.

-snip-

Emergency workers detected dangerous methane levels in the Halemba mine's shaft
and said the blast may have damaged a pump, flooding the area and leaving little
hope that anybody could still be found alive.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L22879991.htm

[krispos42]

2. Those poor people... n/t