KABUL (Pajhwok): At least nine miners have been killed and six others injured in an explosion at a coal mine in Colombia, a media report said on Tuesday.
The blast occurred on Monday at a legally operated mine in Sutatausa municipality, about 72 kilometres north of the capital, Bogotá, and was caused by a build-up of gases, Al Jazeera reported.
The explosion took place at a mine operated by Carbonera Los Pinos, where workers were operating about 600 metres underground, local authorities said. The company could not immediately be reached for comment.
Cundinamarca Governor Jorge Emilio Rey said on X that the explosion was “apparently due to a build-up of gases.” He had earlier said 12 miners were trapped, three of whom managed to escape.
The injured were taken to a local hospital for treatment.
The national mining agency had previously recommended strengthening safety measures during a site visit on April 9, when it identified hazardous gases, including methane.
Colombia is home to numerous open-pit and underground gold and coal mines. Explosions and similar incidents occur frequently, often at operations that are illegal or fail to meet safety standards.
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