Hopes 'Diminishing' For Turkey Miners: 238 Dead, Hundreds Missing at Soma

[Bosonic]

Last edited Wed May 14, 2014, 11:07 AM - Edit history (4)

Source: NBC

ISTANBUL - Scenes of grief and heartbreak played out at a Turkish mine Wednesday after an explosion and fire killed more than 200 workers and trapped hundreds of others more than a mile under the earth's surface.

Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on a visit to the scene that the death toll had risen to 238.

Anxious family members gathered at the entrance to the mine as bodies were pulled out, but Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said “hopes are diminishing” of finding more survivors from what could prove to be Turkey's deadliest mining accident.

The fire from the initial explosion overnight continued to burn into the morning, hampering rescue efforts and sending a pall of smoke over the scene.

Read more: http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/turkey-mine-collapse/hopes-diminishing-turkey-miners-205-dead-hundreds-missing-n104966

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earlier...

Turkish coal mine explosion kills 157, hundreds trapped: mayor

An explosion followed by a fire in a coal mine in western Turkey killed 157 miners and trapped hundreds more on Tuesday, a provincial mayor said, in what appeared to be the country's worst mining accident in years.

Rescue workers pumped oxygen into the mine to try to keep those still trapped by the blaze alive as thousands of family members and fellow workers, clamoring for information, gathered outside the town's hospital, held back behind police lines.

The blast in the power unit of the mine in Soma, around 120 km (75 miles) northeast of the Aegean coastal city of Izmir, triggered an electricity outage, making the elevators unusable and leaving hundreds of miners stranded underground.

It was not immediately clear if the fire had been isolated.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/13/us-turkey-mine-idUSBREA4C0KO20140513

Deadly Turkey blast 'traps hundreds'

Several miners are reported to have been killed after an explosion and a fire at a coal mine in western Turkey.

Up to 300 other workers are believed to be trapped underground at the mine in Soma, Manisa province.

Those trapped are about 2km (1.2 miles) below the surface and 4km from the mine's exit.

Search and rescue operations are taking place. It is estimated that 580 workers were underground at the time, but that many escaped.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-27400283

[Bosonic]

1. Turkey mine explosion: Death toll 'soars'

Turkey mine explosion: Death toll 'soars'

An explosion at a mine in western Turkey has left 157 workers dead and 75 injured, local media reports say.

Manisa mayor Cengiz Ergun was quoted as saying the number of casualties had not been officially confirmed.

Initial reports said 17 people had been killed in the explosion and ensuing fire, and many more were trapped.

It was estimated that 580 workers were underground at the time of the blast, though it is thought many of them managed to escape.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-27403061

[dipsydoodle]

2. Awful

Just awful.

[Stuart G]

3. Very Sad...nt

[Bosonic]

4. Hopes 'Diminishing' For Turkey Miners: 205 Dead, Hundreds Missing

Hopes 'Diminishing' For Turkey Miners: 205 Dead, Hundreds Missing

ISTANBUL - Scenes of grief and heartbreak played out at a Turkish mine Wednesday after an explosion and fire killed more than 200 workers and trapped hundreds of others more than a mile under the earth's surface.

Anxious family members gathered at the entrance to the mine as bodies were pulled out, but Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said “hopes are diminishing” of finding more survivors from what could prove to be Turkey's deadliest mining accident.

The fire from the initial explosion overnight continued to burn into the morning, hampering rescue efforts and sending a pall of smoke over the scene.

Air was pumped into the mine to help trapped workers, with most of the victims killed by carbon monoxide poisoning.

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/turkey-mine-collapse/hopes-diminishing-turkey-miners-205-dead-hundreds-missing-n104966

[Bosonic]

5. Clashes in Ankara as police use tear gas to prevent students’ protest march to ministry

Clashes in Ankara as police use tear gas to prevent students’ protest march to ministry

Police fired tear gas and used water cannons to prevent a group of students from marching to the Energy Ministry in Ankara to protest the Soma mine disaster May 14, which killed at least 238 people.

Around 800 students had gathered inside the campus of the Middle Eastern Technical University (ODTÜ) to denounce the disaster. But the police did not allow them to march outside of the campus, blocking the exit after the intervention.

According to reports, police taunted the protesters from megaphones during the intervention. “You should feel proud of what you are doing when a national mourning has been declared,” police officers reportedly said. Three days of mourning had been announced earlier on May 14 in memory of the victims.

Meanwhile, a number of unions and organizations have made several calls for protests for the coming days. Unions, including the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions (DİSK), the Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (KESK) and the Chamber of Architects and Engineers’ (TMMOB) have called for a work stoppage with three minutes of silence at 9 am on May 15. In joint statements, the groups also asked their members to wear black clothes in memory of the victims.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/clashes-in-ankara-as-police-use-tear-gas-to-prevent-students-protest-march-to-ministry.aspx?pageID=238&nID=66444&NewsCatID=341