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                     Up to 18 Still Trapped in Turkey Mine

   by VOA News

   Taner Yildiz, Turkey's energy minister, said a "maximum of 18 people"
   are still trapped inside a coal mine in Soma following an explosion and
   fire that killed more than 280 people.

   Yildiz also said Friday officials expect the final death toll from the
   accident to be around 302 people. It is not clear if the men still
   trapped in the mine are alive. Tuesday's electrical transformer blast
   in Soma set off Turkey's worst-ever coal mine disaster.

   A fire that continued to burn in the mine for days has hampered efforts
   to look for survivors. Almost two days have passed since anyone was
   brought out alive.

   Officials say most of the workers died from carbon monoxide poisoning.
   Government and mining company officials say nearly 450 miners have been
   rescued.

   Turkish citizens are outraged after newspapers printed a picture of an
   aide to the prime minister kicking a man protesting the mine disaster
   who was being held on the ground by police.

   The incident happened in Soma Wednesday during a visit by Prime
   Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He is already under fire for appearing
   to be indifferent to the disaster.

   The prime minister had called mining accidents "ordinary things," but
   added the entire country is in pain and promised a thorough
   investigation.

   Turkish President Abdullah Gul visited Soma Thursday and vowed to do
   whatever is necessary to prevent future mining disasters.

   On Thursday, workers across Turkey held a nationwide strike to protest
   the country's poor mining safety standards.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/up-to-18-still-trapped-in-turkey-mine
   /1915794.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/up-to-18-still-trapped-in-turkey-mine/1915794.html