At least two killed in Russian mine blast: officials
A worker at Ural Mountains mine was still missing and rescue operations were difficult due to fire.
MOSCOW (AFP) - At least two miners were killed and several others injured Saturday in a mine explosion in Russia s Sverdlovsk region which sparked an underground blaze, emergency officials said.
One worker at the Ural Mountains mine was still missing and rescue operations were "difficult" due to a fire started by the blast that erupted around 1345 GMT, the Russian ministry of emergency situations said.
Of the 89 people who went into the mine and were working at a depth of 440 metres (over 1,440 feet) to prepare a detonation only 86 were evacuated, local police said.
At least two miners were hospitalised with moderate injuries, the press agency TASS reported.
More than 80 rescuers were searching for victims and trying to put out the underground blaze.
