Two miners killed in gas poisoning accident in Turkey’s north

ZONGULDAK – Anadolu Agency

DHA photo

Two miners have died due to carbon dioxide poisoning at an unlicensed mining facility in Turkey’s Black Sea province of Zonguldak. 

Erol Gün and Ahmet Şen, who were working at an unlicensed coal mining facility in Zonguldak, died as a result of carbon dioxide poisoning on Aug. 31. 

The bodies of Gün and Şen were retrieved from the mine after the state Turkish Coal Institute (TTK) launched rescue efforts that went on for nine-and-a-half hours. 

Rescue teams drained the poisonous air with pipes and then sent a stretcher with a lever jack system to evacuate the miners. 

After being removed from the mine, the bodies of Gün and Şen were taken to a state hospital in Zonguldak for autopsies to be conducted. 

Fellow miner Ferdi Abacı, who escaped from the mine when he realized the poisonous gas leak, said he informed the authorities about the issue as soon as he escaped the mine. 

Although it was initially reported that the unlicensed mine contained coal gas, the TTK experts said it was carbon dioxide that poisoned the miners, after conducting tests inside the mine. 

Back on Aug. 11, another miner, Sezai Aslanbaş, was killed in an accident at a coal mine in Zonguldak, after being trapped underground following a landslide.