An early morning coal mine explosion has left 20 dead and six injured Wednesday, said the mine’s manager Wednesday to W Radio.
Gabriel Giraldo Tamayo, manager of the “La Preciosa” mine in the department of Norte de Santander told the radio station that the 6:00 AM blast killed 20 miners and left six injured.
Tamayo acknowledged that something went wrong in the mine. He ruled out the possibility of finding people alive because, “When there is an accumulation of carbon monoxide people die in seconds.”
Search and rescue crews are at the location.
The local ombudsman ealier in the morning claimed 40 miners may have been killed in the explosion.