20 feared dead in Slovak mine

An explosion in a northern Slovak coal mine most likely killed 20 miners yesterday in the central European country's worst mining…

An explosion in a northern Slovak coal mine most likely killed 20 miners yesterday in the central European country's worst mining disaster.

Seven bodies have been recovered from the mine following a fire and explosion, and 13 other people are missing, feared dead, authorities said today.

Economy Minister Lubomir Jahnatek said rescue workers initially found six bodies in the Handlova mine in central Slovakia.

Mine director Peter Cicmanec said another body was discovered later as rescue units, engineers and medics battled high temperatures to reach the scene.

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Mr Jahnatek said it was unlikely any of the 20 people working in the mine survived.

Rescue teams found six dead bodies after about 12 hours of efforts in poor visibility and high temperatures, officials said.

The rest of the missing group were also presumed dead because conditions in the shaft were not fit for survival.

The workers had been putting out a fire in the Handlova mine when the explosion occurred, the mine operator said.

Hornonitrianske Bane Prievidza, the biggest mining firm in the country, said the explosion tore through an unused section of the pit, about 330 metres below the surface, at 9.30am local time.

At that point, all contact was lost with the crew underground.

Reuters