Prague, Dec 21 (AP/UNB) — A spokesman for a mining company says the death toll in a methane explosion that hit a coal mine in northeast Czech Republic has increased to 13.
Ivo Celechovsky of the OKD mining company said Friday that 11 of the dead were Polish nationals while two were Czechs. Another 10 miners were injured in the explosion Thursday afternoon at the CSA mine near the town of Karvina. Previously, the death toll stood at five.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Czech counterpart Andrej Babis have offered their condolences to the families of the victims. The two leaders were expected to arrive at the mine on Friday.
The explosion occurred about 800 meters (2,600 feet) underground.
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