Mine Explosion Killed 28 in Northern Turkey

[Biomiast]

A few days ago, there was a methane gas explosion in a mine in Turkey. I am ashamed to admit that apathy surrounds all of us including me in this matter. We had so much of those explosions, they don't generate the public response they need to generate. But on top of us, without o conscience lies our Prime Minister, calling the accident is fate, it is in nature of this work. And those workers knew what they are getting into before working.

It just amazes me, but we are getting used to his ideologies also. So, soon it wouldn't be bothering us probably. But until it does, here goes the article. If you have time, I recommend you to check the link out, there are photos and stories of some miners who were planning quiting, or getting married, another one was injured before and is not supposed to be working, but company forced him to.

A Turkish mining town in mourning ponders its 'fate'


While Turkey continues to mourn at least 28 miners killed this week in a methane gas explosion in northern Turkey, the country’s prime minister again referred to the incident as “fate” during a party meeting Friday.

“It is impossible to prevent a methane gas explosion 100 percent. Unfortunately this is the fate of this profession in many places throughout the world,” Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, criticizing the columnists who reacted against him for his initial statement Wednesday in which he also said the explosion was “fate.”

“I want to address columnists who try to skew my words. This is the fate of this profession. If you do not have a belief in fate, I am not going to discuss it with you,” he said.

A methane gas explosion occurred Monday at the state-owned Karadon mine in the Black Sea province of Zonguldak, trapping 30 miners roughly half a kilometer below the surface. Rescuers finally reached the bodies of 28 of the miners on Thursday, while the remaining two miners have yet to be located. The funerals of 13 of the minors were held Thursday in their hometowns.

Turkey has the highest number of mine accidents in Europe and the third highest in the world, news reports said during the week.

The bodies of three of the miners have yet be delivered to their families pending their identification, with authorities saying a DNA test might be required if their identities cannot be determined.

The funerals of 12 more miners were held Friday. Miners Yunus Ekmekçi, Şahin Tavukçu and Adem Çengel were buried in the Yenice district of the northern province of Karabük with some locals in the district hanging Turkish flags on their balconies.

The funerals of engineer Koray Kebapçı, Sadık Kocakaya and İlker Bebek were likewise held in various districts of Zonguldak.

The cause of the explosion has not yet been identified, although a prosecutor has launched an investigation. Labor Minister Ömer Dinçer said the cause of the explosion would be determined after the mine was cleaned up.

City of miners mourn for fellows

A province built on mining, Zonguldak has been grieving for the last few days as the life stories of the dead miners have been recounted at funerals throughout the area.

Some of those killed were young engineers, while others inherited the profession from their fathers. Some, meanwhile, planned to quit the job, while for others the mine was the only source of income to sustain their lives.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=erdogan-calls-mine-disaster-faith-one-more-time-2010-05-21