The Justice Ministry linked methane buildup to an Oct. 23 explosion at a private mine in Turkey’s Zonguldak province that killed three miners and injured five.
Eight miners were at the mine in Gelik, within the Kilimli district, the Zonguldak Governorate said. An early update listed two deaths and one worker still underground. Authorities later confirmed that worker had died; five others were rescued with injuries.
The Chamber of Mining Engineers of Turkey said ventilation, gas measurement and monitoring, methane drainage, explosion-protected equipment and safety oversight can help manage methane risks. It did not assess the mine’s safety systems or identify a failed safeguard.
An earlier disaster in Soma claimed 301 lives in 2014; the Associated Press described it as among Turkey’s worst mining tragedies.
The Justice Ministry said prosecutors had opened an investigation, with one deputy chief prosecutor and two prosecutors assigned to the case. The ministry announced no finding on what triggered the methane buildup or whether safety rules were breached.
