At the North mine killed 36 people

As a result of the accident at the Severnaya mine in Vorkuta, 36 people were killed, Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich said. “There are many dead. There is no hope that the 26 people who were in the mine are alive. It can be considered that 36 people were killed, including the dead mine rescuers, ”he told reporters.

Dvorkovich, on behalf of the Russian government, expressed his sincere condolences to the families of the miners and rescuers who died in the mine. “This is a grave emergency, a grave disaster for Russia, for our coal industry,” the Deputy Prime Minister noted. All victims and families of those killed at the Severnaya mine will receive assistance from the federal budget, Dvorkovich said.

It will take time for final conclusions about the causes of the accident, although preliminary conclusions are already being made, the Deputy Prime Minister said. Now data, objective indicators are being collected, experts are involved to assess what happened, as he told reporters. Dvorkovich said the government is currently taking steps to help the families of those killed and injured. The authorities will also help the miners from the Severnaya mine in Vorkuta to find jobs, he said.

Dvorkovich urged not to rush to conclusions about the causes of the accident that occurred on February 25 at the Severnaya mine at a depth of about 780 meters as a result of a sudden release of methane and two explosions, which led to the collapse of the rock. Subsequently, a fire broke out. Under the rubble, 4 miners were killed, and the fate of 26 miners is unknown, since there is no connection with them. During the search and rescue operations at the mine, another explosion occurred, which resulted in the death of six rescuers. Further performance of any work in the emergency mine of OJSC Vorkutaugol is impossible.