In the case of a serious mining accident in a coal mine in the East of the Czech Republic for at least thirteen miners were killed. A further ten had been injured, told the news Agency CTK on late Thursday evening, citing a spokesman for the operator, OKD.

According to initial findings of an air-methane gas ignited underground mixture. It came at a depth estimated to be around 800 meters to a dreaded firedamp explosion, all the work destroyed areas.The Mine rescue team searched in depth for possible Victims and Survivors. For the removal of the injured rescue were on the surface car and a helicopter ready. Many of the mine employees, mine workers came from the middle of Poland, like Czech media reported.

The mine, near the city of Karvina, about 300 kilometres East of Prague, since 1968, and it was modernized a few years ago. The tunnels lie at a depth of up to 1100 meters.

The calamity was a great pre-Christmas tragedy, said the mayor of the adjacent mountain municipality of Stonava, Ondrej Feber, the online edition of the newspaper “Pravo”.