21 Nov 2013 10:49

Operation of Central mine in Kazakhstan suspended after blast

KOKSHETAU. Nov 21 (Interfax) - The operation of the Central mine belonging to the Kazakhaltyn concern in the Akmola region of Kazakhstan has been suspended following an explosion.

"The operation has been suspended until the circumstances [of the incident] have been determined. A mine rescue team is working at the scene of the blast now, and its members are collecting the pieces of a dead miner's body. All people have been evacuated," Arman Abdykalykov, the head of the regional emergency situations department, told Interfax.

Some 24 kilos of explosive mixture being carried by a 33-year-old demolition worker detonated in the Central mine early on Thursday. There were 66 people working underground at the time, and none of them were hurt.