Piedras Negras, Mexico – A gas buildup in a northern Mexico coal mine triggered a pre- dawn explosion Sunday, trapping at least 65 coal miners underground with a limited supply of oxygen.
Emergency crews were tunneling through the debris to rescue them.
At least eight miners who had been near the mine’s exit when the explosion occurred were rescued and hospitalized with burns and broken bones.
Union and company officials said they believed there were 65 miners trapped in various places throughout the mine near the town of Sabinas, 85 miles southwest of Eagle Pass, Texas. Rescuers had not been able to make contact with the trapped miners.
Juan Rebolledo, vice president of international affairs for mining giant Grupo Mexico, which owns the mine, said several rescue teams were taking turns carefully removing debris that had clogged the steep shaft.
He said oxygen tanks were scattered throughout the mine, but it was impossible to know whether the trapped miners had access to them or how long they could survive.
Coahuila Gov. Humberto Moreira Valdes said the mine’s ventilation system was still working. The mine is 985 feet deep.
A spokesman for Coahuila state’s emergency services said authorities did not know how long it would take to reach the trapped miners.
