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18 Dead in Russian Coal Mine Blast


Central entrance to Vorkuninskaya coal mine in Vorkuta, Russia, Feb. 11, 2013.
Central entrance to Vorkuninskaya coal mine in Vorkuta, Russia, Feb. 11, 2013.
Russian officials say an explosion at a coal mine in the country's north has killed 18 miners.
The Emergency Situations Ministry said dozens of men were working in the Vorkutinskaya mine in the Komi region at the time of the blast, which officials blamed on a buildup of methane gas.
Russian investigators have opened a probe into possible safety violations at the mine.
Officials say 10 bodies have so far been recovered.
Monday's deadly accident could renew debate about safety in Russia's accident-plagued mines.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
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