New Zealand miners missing after explosion
Baku, November 19 (AZERTAC). Twenty-seven miners are missing after an explosion at a remote coal mine on New Zealand`s South Island, BBC reported
The mayor of Greymouth, about 50km (30 miles) south-east of the Pike River mine, said the situation was "pretty serious" but rescuers were on hand.
However, concerns about the possibility of another explosion have delayed attempts to enter the mineshaft.
There has so far been no contact with the missing miners, whose friends and relatives have gathered at the scene.
Earlier, two workers walked out of the mine with moderate injuries.
`Charred trees`
The explosion at the Pike River mine is believed to have happened at around 1530 local time (0230 GMT).
Police said an electrician had gone into the mine at 1550 to investigate a power failure and discovered the driver of a loader who had been blown off his machine 1,500m (4,920ft) into the shaft. He then raised the alarm.
They and one other miner later emerged safely from the mine and told officials that three others were also making their way to the surface. However, there has been no contact yet with the second group of miners.
The operator of the mine, Pike River Coal, said that 27 workers remained unaccounted for - 15 of its staff and 12 local contractors.
Its chief executive, Peter Whittall, also denied that a body had been found.
"I`ve not had any reports of that at all," he said. "We`ve had two miners who`ve walked out of the mine and they`re currently being spoken to and treated on the surface. We`ve had no communication with anyone else underground at this stage."
The two miners who emerged earlier had moderate injuries, Mr Whittall said. They are being treated at the hospital in Greymouth.
Mining experts said it could have been a methane gas explosion, a coal dust explosion, or a combination of both.
A TVNZ cameraman who flew over the scene said it looked like there had been a massive blast. There were charred trees, smoke rising over the area, and a cabin had been blown away, he said.
`Dreadful situation`
Specialist mine rescue crews, ambulances and helicopters rushed to the mine as soon as the blast was reported.
However, the helicopters were later sent back to their bases, when it became apparent that the rescue effort might take days.
Police spokeswoman Barbara Dunn said rescuers were still assessing the safety conditions inside the mine, and making sure the ventilation system was functioning as there was a potential for a build-up of gas.
Until that happened, it was unsafe for rescuers to enter the mine, she added.
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