Rescue efforts at the Listvyazhnaya coal mine in the Russian village of Gramoteino have been suspended following a gas explosion and fire that killed 11 miners, the regional government has confirmed.
Sergei Tsivilev, governor of the Kemerovo Oblast regional government, said the methane concentration at the site exceeds 6% and carbon monoxide more than 0.25%, making any further searches unsafe.
"Work will resume as soon as the gas concentration has dropped to a safe level," a statement read.
As of 18:00 local time, 239 people have been rescued from the mine, and 46 remain. Of those saved, 49 have been taken to hospital, and 11 are receiving outpatient treatment.
The fire began at a depth of 250 metres, according to the regional government at 08:51 local time, the statement continued.
Additionally, the Acting Minister of the Russian Federation for Civil Defense, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters, Alexander Chupriyan, flew to the region on board the Russian Emergencies Ministry with psychologists and medical specialists.
The Listvyazhnaya mine is owned by Russian company SDS-UGOL and had a production capacity of 6.15 million tonnes in 2020.
