7 Miners Die in Colombian Coal Mine Explosion

Colombia. Local authorities confirmed on Friday that 7 mine workers died in an explosion in a coal mine in a department in the central part of Colombia.

According to local media, the explosion occurred in a mine in a municipality on Thursday afternoon. Preliminary investigations indicate that the explosion was caused by accumulated underground gas.

Rescue teams were immediately mobilized to the scene after the accident.

The governor of the relevant department expressed condolences to the families of the deceased through social media and released the names of the workers who lost their lives.

He stated that the national mining agency will begin a formal investigation to determine the actual cause of the accident.

Mine accidents are not uncommon in the central region of Colombia, as some mines are said not to fully comply with safety regulations.