At least four killed after a series of overnight explosions triggered by a huge methane explosion at Polish mine – the coal mine in southern Poland.
The blasts have injured nineteen others while seven people remain missing, authorities said on Wednesday in the Polish mine.
The explosions are reported to have taken place at 00:15 CET around 1,000 metres beneath the surface at the Pniowek mine in Pawlowice.
Rescuers were initially forced to suspend their operation due to a fire, according to the mining company operator Jastrzebska Spolka Weglowa (JSW).
Methane explosion at Polish mine
Contact with seven of the rescuers has been lost during the operation, mine EU authorities added.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said he would visit the site of the “tragic occurrence,” and reiterated that the rescue operation was extremely difficult.
“There were a total of 42 employees in the affected area,” the company said on Twitter.
Doctors at the Siemianowice Slaskie hospital say that some of those injured are in a life-threatening condition after suffering burns to their lungs and large areas of their bodies.
An investigation into the cause of the explosions is underway.
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