2015 Zasyadko mine disaster

Zasyadko coal mine

On 4 March 2015, at around 05:20 local time, there was a mining accident at the Zasyadko coal mine in rebel-held Eastern Ukraine. It is suspected to have been caused by a gas explosion.^[2]

Twenty-three people are confirmed dead.^[2] Local rebels claim a death toll of 30.^[2] There were 230 people in the mine at the time of the explosion, of which 200 are accounted for.^[2] The Speaker of the Ukrainian parliament, Volodymyr Groysman, called for a minute's silence for 32 fatalities, but later retracted that figure to say that one had died and 30 others' status was unknown.^[2]

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko called for police and rescue services to have access to the mine.^[2]

On 18 November 2007, 101 died in a methane explosion at the same mine.^[2]

References