Explosion at Russia's Elginskoye coal mine kills four and injures two

On Saturday, an explosion ripped through the Elginskoye coal deposit in Yakutia, Russia's largest of its type, resulting in four fatalities and two wounded workers. The fire broke out at approximately 11:20 local time while welders were operating near a reserve pump station adjacent to the mine. Authorities from the Russian Committee of Investigation have opened a criminal case alleging breaches of safety regulations, and the regional prosecutor’s office has launched a parallel inquiry.

Elga, the operator of the mine, confirmed the incident occurred at a backup pump station situated at a considerable distance from the main mining complex and suggested a possible depressurisation of the station’s water tank as the cause. REN TV reported a different scenario involving welding close to a methane reservoir, but investigators have not confirmed that version. The explosion highlights safety challenges at one of the world's major coking-coal sites.