A powerful explosion occurred in five adjacent coal mines in Colombia, resulting in the death of 11 workers Tuesday night.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro stated on Twitter that rescuers are “making every effort with the Cundinamarca government to rescue the trapped people alive.” (RELATED: Gas Leak Kills More Than 50 In Russian Mining Accident)
Una lamentable tragedia lo sucedido en la mina de Sutatausa, donde fallecieron 11 personas. Estamos haciendo todos los esfuerzos con la gobernación de Cundinamarca para rescatar con vida a las personas atrapadas. Un abrazo de solidaridad a las víctimas y a sus familiares.
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) March 15, 2023
Ten other workers are still trapped in the coal mines, according to Reuters. Two workers have been rescued and seven others were able to escape without aid and were taken for medical examinations, the Associated Press reported.
The coal mine blast was caused by a build-up of methane gas 45 miles north of Bogota, the capital of Colombia, according to ABC News. The captain of the fire department in the Cundinamarca region, where the explosion took place, told local media that it affected five interconnected mines and led to a “chain” blast.
Six bodies have been recovered and five have been sighted, the outlet noted.
Explosions, landslides and other emergencies are common in Colombia’s coal mines, according to Fox News.