Nothing concealed in mine blast: Yıldız

ANKARA - Anatolia News Agency

Muharrem Yapıcı, who was killed in a coul mine blast in the Black Sea province of Zonguldak Jan 7, is laid to rest with a ceremony in his hometown. DHA photo

Claims of negligence and shortcomings in work safety filed after a coal mine blast in the Black Sea province of Zonguldak which killed eight miners will be thoroughly investigated, Energy Minister Taner Yıldız said yesterday.

While replying to journalists’ questions at Parliament, Yıldız underlined that nothing had been concealed in regards to the mine blast that occurred in Zonguldak on Jan. 7 and killed eight workers.

The accident was not a subject to be manipulated for political reasons, Yıldız said, adding that they were not authorized to tolerate those who behaved with fault or negligence. Being speculative and manipulative before the case is clarified will be an injustice to those who are working properly, Yıldız said.

All questions will be answered as soon as the details of the accident were clarified, Yıldız said. “Nothing is being concealed. The rules in tender specifications are explicit,” he said.

A report recently revealed the sub-contractor used was not actually a mining firm, but a construction company. “Everyone has to obey the rules regardless of sub-contractors, private sector or public sector members,” Yıldız said in response to questions on his thoughts about the discovery.
 
Previous mine accidents

According to data provided by the Chamber of Mining Engineers, a total of 80 mine accidents took place in Turkey last year, killing a total of 61 workers and leaving 91 injured.

In 2011, 77 workers died and 117 were injured in 86 mine accidents; while 105 died and 93 were injured in 61 accidents that happened in 2010.

A total of 3,053 people died and 326,208 people left injured or disabled due to mining accidents in Turkey between 1955 and 2012.

Turkey’s worst mining disaster on record is a gas explosion that killed 263 workers near Zonguldak on Mar. 3, 1992. Most mining accidents in Turkey have occurred in Zonguldak, one of Turkey’s richest areas for coal.

Turkey has the worst safety record in terms of mining accidents and explosions in Europe and the third worst in the world, according to reports.