2 mine workers die after carbon monoxide poisoning in Turkey’s Gümüşhane

GÜMÜŞHANE

Two workers have died and four others have been taken to hospital due to carbon monoxide poisoning in a mine in the Black Sea province of Gümüşhane, state-run Anadolu Agency reported early on July 16.  

Gümüşhane Governor Okay Memiş told reporters that the four workers were provided with outpatient treatment at a state hospital in the district of Kelkit. 

Memiş said he was informed of the incident at 11:59 p.m. on July 15 after the workers were poisoned at a mine located in the town of Gümüşgöze in Kelkit district. 

“Unfortunately workers named Ramazan Bulut and Şükrü Arslan have lost their lives due to carbon monoxide poisoning. The treatment of our workers named Ramazan Kurt, Özkan Eliusta, Mehmet Yıldızhan, and Recep Özsoy, who entered into the mine to help them [the other two workers] and were subsequently affected by the carbon monoxide gas, are continuing in the Kelkit State Hospital,” he said. 

Memiş also noted that the governor’s office would soon inform the General Directorate of Mining Affairs of the incident, after which an investigation would be launched.