Madrid, March 31 At least five people were confirmed dead and several others injured following an explosion in a mine in the Spanish region of Asturias on Monday morning.
Spanish Civil Guards said the incident happened at approximately 9:40 local time (0840 GMT) when a machine exploded at the Cerredo mine near Degana town.
The blast took place on the third level of the mine, causing burns and trauma injuries, according to the Spanish government delegate in the region. Three of the injured have been transferred to a hospital in the city of Leon, Xinhua news agency reported.
Emergency services, including Civil Guard officers, firefighters, and members of the mine rescue team, have been deployed to the site, the regional government of Asturias said.
Spain's Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, offered his condolences to the relatives of the deceased and thanked emergency workers.
"My heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims of the mine accident in Degana, Asturias. And I wish a speedy recovery to those injured. Thanks to the emergency services working on the rescue efforts," Sanchez said. An investigation into the cause of the explosion is currently underway.
Local media, citing an Asturian spokesperson, reported that the workers were operating at the mine under a permit for mineral extraction to produce graphite.
According to ABC Espana, the site had been a major mining operation before its closure in 2018 and had since been intermittently used by private companies for extracting the mineral anthracite.
The exact number of people present at the mine during the explosion remains unknown.
Asturias' President, Adrian Barbon, has declared two days of mourning for the region.
The region’s civil protection plan, designed to manage emergencies, was activated at its lowest level, indicating that the situation is localized and can be managed with the resources currently available. An investigation into the cause of the explosion is currently underway.
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