ISTANBUL, Turkey, May 18 (UPI) -- Rescue efforts were under way in northwestern Turkey following a coal mine explosion that trapped more than 30 workers, officials say.
The blast occurred Monday afternoon at the state-run Turkish Hard Coal Enterprise Karadon mine in Zonguldak province, the Turkish newspaper Today's Zaman reports.
The deputy general manager of the mine says rescuers are having difficulty contacting the trapped miners due to a failure of the mine's communication system.
Two helicopter ambulances are at the scene.
In February 13 miners were killed in Balikesir province when a methane gas explosion collapsed an underground chamber.
Turkey's worst mine disaster took place in Zonguldak province in 1992 when 270 miners died after a gas explosion.
