Raspadskaya mine evacuating miners because of fire - Emergency Situations Ministry

KEMEROVO. April 19 (Interfax) - Raspadskaya mine is evacuating miners because of a fire, the region's Emergency Situations Ministry told Interfax.

"There are 181 mineworkers in the mine. Everyone is in touch, and evacuation is underway," a ministry representative said.

Six brigades of mine rescuers are at the scene. The extent of the fire is being determined.

"There was a fire at the Raspadskaya mine. At the moment, employees are being brought to the surface in the regular procedure," Raspadskaya Coal Company LLC, which manages the mine and other PJSC Raspadskaya assets, told Interfax.

Meanwhile, there were more than 270 people located in the Raspadskaya Kuzbass mine at the time the fire broke out, according to the Mezhdurechensk administration's press service.

"A fire was discovered in the mine. According to preliminary information, there were no victims. It is known that 275 people were in the mine at the time of the emergency," according to the press release.

The Raspadskaya coalmine is the largest of its kind in Russia, and it is part of PJSC Raspadskaya, in which Evraz owns a stake of 93.2%.