Mine Collapses in Muğla

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In Milas district of Muğla province, a feldspar mine was collapsed at around 10.30 a.m. Four miners were left under the wreckage.

Milas Chief Public Prosecutor Adem Efe said in a written statement that one worker was rescued injured and the search for the other three workers is going on.

The local news site HaberMilas reported the rescue teams reached one worker's body.

The Prosecutor's statement said that a detonation did not take place in the mine today. It said that the collapse happened when the blocks of albite minerals were being removed from the detonation area.

Injured worker was discharged from hospital

While truck driver Şükrü Otlak and excavator operators Engin Tutuk and Servet Çapacıoğlu were left under the wreckage, truck driver Tayfun Akıncı was taken to a hospital after being rescued. Akıncı was discharged from the hospital after treatment.

Mukhtar (head person) of Sarıkaya Neighborhood Erhan Kocabaş told, "Construction vehicles were working near the rocks. A giant rock fell. Two excavators, one truck and three workers are said to be under the rock. The efforts are continuing."

"Three prosecutors have been assigned"

Milas Chief Public Prosecutor Adem Efe said the following in his statement:

"During the subcontractor firm Çınartaş Endüstri Inc.'s works in the albite minefield owned by the Kömürcüoğlu company a collapse happened. Two excavators and one truck were left under the wreckage. It was determined that a detonation did not take place today. During the removal of the albite mine (rock blocks) from the detonation area, rock blocks got loose and excavator operators Engin Tutuk, Servet Çapacıoğlu and truck drivers Şükrü Otlak, Tayfun Akıncı were left under the wreckage.

"Tayfun Akıncı was pulled out of the wreckage by the company workers and sent to Milas State Hospital. He was discharged from the hospital after ambulatory care. He is not in a life-threatening situation. Rescue efforts for Şükrü Otlak, Engin Tutuk and Servet Çapacıoğlu are continuing.

"Three public prosecutors were assigned to the investigation into the incident."

Five mine accidents in five months

Five mine accidents were reported on the media in Turkey since September 2018:

• On September 15, 2018, three workers injured in an explosion in a salt mine in Kırşehir province. The explosion happened during the miners were working to produce explosive material although the mine did not have permission to use them.
• On September 16, 2018, three workers were injured in a marble quarry in Adıyaman province as a result of an explosion. The explosion happened when the miners were destroying the explosive material. Marble quarries are not allowed to use explosives.
• On September 17, 2018, in a marble quarry in Bursa province, one worker died after being hit by a truck.
• On September 18, 2018, the coal began to burn in a coal power plant in Çanakkale province. Six workers who tried to put out the fire were injured.
• On December 12, 2018, A mine owned by the company responsible for the occupational homicide that claimed 301 workers' lives in 2014 has collapsed in Soma district in Manisa province. 11 workers have been rescued wounded after the incident. (TP/VK)

Photos: AA