41 killed in coal mine explosion in Turkey Transcript

Speaker 1: (00:00)
Okay, now we want to get to the latest on that deadly coal mine explosion in Northern Turkey. Funerals have begun after 41 people were killed in the blast. As the rescue operation came to an end just a short while ago, reporter Dorian Jones is following the story for us from Istanbul. Dorian, take us through the latest information.

Dorian Jones: (00:19)
Well, it’s been a very grim day. Rescue workers up until, as you say, the last few hours have been trying to recover or to at least rescue any miners believed to have been still trapped up to 350 meters deep into the mine, but in incredibly testing conditions with fires still raging, parts of the mine and much of it had collapsed. Those efforts have finally come to an end President Tayyip Erdoğan has been visiting the mine. He’s been speaking with the families and with the miners who have been assisting in this rescue operation. He pledged all rescue efforts will continue until the last miner have being counted for now. The cause of this for this terrible accident is believed to be according to initial reports, fire damp, which is a word to describe methane, it’s a deadly enemy of minors and frequently does cause explosions and there’s already controversy building over this accident.

Dorian Jones: (01:15)
Local media have been citing what they claim was Turkish regulatory authorities warning that this mine was vulnerable to methane gas explosions. Now, that has been denied by the government and President Erdoğan has placed that anyone deemed responsible for this accident will be held to account. Now, turkey is no stranger to these events. It has a very poor record. In fact, eight years ago it witnessed the worst mining accident in Soma where over 300 people died. The then Prime Minister is now, was Erdoğan. He at that time pledged that the mining industry will be tidied up and made more secure. But again, Turkey has witnessed another devastating mining accident and there will be scrutiny over the government handling of the mines. But that will be for another day. Today, the country is now burying its miners and is in mourning for another mining accident.

Speaker 1: (02:05)
Dorian Jones reporting from Istanbul. Thank you, Dorian.