Colombian President Uribe says mine explosion kills at least 16, traps 72

AMAGA, COLOMBIA (BNO NEWS) — At least sixteen miners were killed and more than 70 others remain trapped after a large gas explosion ripped through a coal mine in northwest Colombia on Thursday, President Alvaro Uribe said.

The blast happened around 1 a.m. local time at the San Fernando mine in Amaga, a town in the country’s Antioquia Department. Uribe said at least sixteen miners had been killed, while 72 others remain trapped.

“This is very sad news. A lot of pain comes with this news,” Uribe said during a news conference. “I can’t hide it: I have a lot of pain knowing that 72 people are still trapped. It’s very difficult. We have recovered 16 bodies.”

Uribe said he requested the Antioquia Department of Mines to promptly report if the coal mine had been inspected and complied with all safety laws.

John Fredy Rendon, director of the Antioquia Disaster Prevention and Attention System, said around 150 people were inside the mine when the explosion happened, but approximately 80 of them were rescued several hours after the accident.

Rendon said there was a shift change at the time of the explosion, which means there were more employees in the mine than normally.

The San Fernando mine is one of the largest coal mines in Colombia.

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