Eight die, several injured in coalmine.

.


MOSCOW, May 9 (Itar-Tass) -- Eight people died and four were injured
in the coalmine methane explosion in the Kemerovo Region, the Russian
Emergencies Ministry said.
According to the updated information, 356 people were in the mine, and
66 remained underground, a ministry source said.




.Energy Ministry sets up emergency headquarters.





MOSCOW, May 9 (Itar-Tass) -- The Russian Energy Ministry has set up
emergency headquarters in connection with the Raspadskaya coalmine
accident.
Deputy Energy Minister Vladimir Azbukin will leave for the accident
site on Sunday.
Rescuers were working at the site.



.Coalmine methane explosion kills eight.



KEMEROVO, May 9 (Itar-Tass) -- Eight people died in the Raspadskaya
coalmine methane explosion in the Kemerovo Region, a source at the
regional department for emergencies told Itar-Tass. The source said 64
people remained underground.
The Raspadskaya mining company told Itar-Tass that "according to the
list, 312 people were underground" at the moment. At the same time, the
Russian Emergencies Ministry said that 356 people were in the mine,
according to their updated information.
Twenty people were directly at the site where the explosion occurred
-- Section 17 in the mine. A new coal cutting machine worked at the
section. Miners at other sections felt several ground tremours.
The explosion occurred at 23:55 local time (20:55 Moscow time) on May
8.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was immediately informed about the
coalmine explosion in the Kemerovo Region.
Russian Emergencies Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to the president
by telephone about measures taken to rescue the miners, the Kremlin press
service told Itar-Tass.
Medvedev ordered the minister to inform him about the rescue operation
and do everything possible to rescue the people, the press service said.
Shoigu said there was everything to help and rescue the miners. Twelve
emergencies ministry teams were working at the site. Additional groups
arrived from Novokuznetsk. Emergencies ministry forces in neighbouring
regions are ready if necessary to send specialists to the coalmine to help.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called the Kemerovo Region's
Governor Aman Tuleyev in connection with the accident, the premier's press
secretary Dmitry Peskov said.
Tuleyev informed the prime minister about circumstances of the
accident and measures taken to rescue the trapped miners. Putin discussed
with the governor what forces and means were needed for help.
The Russian Energy Ministry has set up emergency headquarters in
connection with the coalmine accident.
Deputy Energy Minister Vladimir Azbukin will leave for the accident
site on Sunday.
Rescuers were working at the site.
The Raspadskaya mine is a leading enterprise of the Raspadskaya
company. It gives about 8,000,000 tonnes of coking coal a year. The mine
was put into operation in 1973. It is one of the country's largest mines
producing valuable coking coal. The length of underground ways totals
about 300 kilometres, the largest in Russia.
-0-pan


.Second explosion occurs in coalmine.
9/5 Tass 79


KEMEROVO, May 9 (Itar-Tass) -- A second explosion has occurred in the
Raspadskaya coalmine, the mining company told Itar-Tass.
According to the preliminary information, the explosion occurred at
about 01:00 Moscow time.
-0-pan


.Second explosion occurs in coalmine.
9/5 Tass 81


KEMEROVO, May 9 (Itar-Tass) -- A second explosion has occurred in the
Raspadskaya coalmine, the Raspadskaya mining company told Itar-Tass.
According to the preliminary information, the explosion occurred at
about 01:00 a.m. Moscow time.
The first explosion of methane struck the mine on Saturday at 23:55
local time (20:55 Moscow time). According to the updated information, it
killed eight people, and 64 remained underground, a regional department
for emergencies told Itar-Tass.
A company source told Itar-Tass that according to the lists 312 people
were underground at the explosion moment. At the same time, the Russian
Emergencies Ministry said that according to the updated information 356
people were in the mine when the first explosion occurred.
Twenty people worked directly at the site -- Section 17. A new coal
cutting machine worked there. Miners at other sections felt ground
tremours.
The mine is a leading enterprise of the Raspadskaya company. It gives
about 8,000,000 tonnes of coking coal a year. The mine was put into
operation in 1973. It is one of the country's largest mines producing
valuable coking coal. The length of underground ways totals about 300
kilometres, the largest in Russia.

.Eleven dead, 41 injured in coalmine accident.
9/5 Tass 95


MOSCOW, May 9 (Itar-Tass) -- Eleven people died and 41 were injured in
the coalmine explosions in the Kemerovo Region, a regional emergency
department source said.
According to the latest information, the explosions in the Raspadskaya
mine in Mezhdurechensk, the Kemerovo region, killed eleven people and
injured 41, the source said.
The rescue operation was suspended. It will be resumed soon, he said.
-0-pan