General

At least 20 presumed dead in Colombian coal mine explosion

Rash of accidents plagues South American mines

At least 20 coal mine workers have been killed and six more injured in an explosion at a mine in northeastern Colombia, according to an official at the nation’s mining regulator. Wednesday’s blast occurred in the La Preciosa mine in the Sardinata municipality, trapping up to 30 workers. “They’ve taken eight people out of the mine but it’s not known if they’re alive or not alive,” Yamile Rangel, the mayor of Sardinata municipality, told local radio. This is just the latest in a series of mine accidents in South America since last year. In August, 33 Chilean miners were buried for weeks. In June, a blast killed around 70 miners in Colombia. In November, nine workers were killed at two small coal mines in Colombia’s Cundinamarca province.

Al Jazeera

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