Mine blast in northern Turkey kills 2, leaves 5 hurt and 1 trapped

An explosion at a coal mine in northwestern Turkey claimed at least two lives and left one miner trapped, local media reported on Friday. The blast occurred at a private mine in the town of Gelik, caused by a firedamp, or flammable gas, according to authorities. Eight individuals were in the tunnel when the accident happened; however, seven were successfully rescued.

Regrettably, two of the rescued miners suffered severe burns and are in serious condition. One of the critically injured was transferred to Ankara for further treatment, while preparations are underway to transfer the second miner. One miner remains inside the mine, and efforts are being made to extricate him. The incident took place around 10 in the morning, following an emergency call, disaster and emergency management authorities, along with medical and fire crews, were promptly dispatched to the site.

Local newspaper Pusula reported that the explosion was at a privately-owned mine belonging to Demir Madencilik. An investigation has been launched to ascertain the precise cause of the blast. Mine accidents are not rare occurrences in Turkey. Earlier this month, a coal mine collapse in Soma, Manisa, western Turkey resulted in the death of five workers.

The independent monitoring group, Worker Health and Work Safety Assembly, highlighted that a total of 1,267 miners lost their lives in workplace accidents between 2013 and 2025, primarily due to cave-ins and suffocation.