The death toll in an explosion at a coal mine, located in the vicinity of the Czech Republic’s eastern city of Karvina has risen to 13, the mine operator OKD said. Initially, the OKD reported that five people were killed and 10 others were injured while eight people are missing.
"Unfortunately, the data on the number of victims of the methane explosion seem not to be final. The evacuation of miners is underway. Rescue teams consisting of around 40 people are clearing away the debris, while the medics are working with those injured on the site and send them to the nearby hospitals," Ivo Celechovsky, the OKD spokesman, said.
The official confirmed at all the blast victims were Polish nationals who worked at the mine. Local media suggest that Czech mines located near the Polish border employed a lot of Polish nationals.
