The 2007 Zasyadko mine disaster was a

mining accident A mining accident is an accident that occurs during the process of mining minerals or metals. Thousands of miners die from mining accidents each year, especially from underground mining (hard rock), underground coal mining, although accidents al ...

that happened on November 18, 2007 at the Zasyadko coal mine () in the eastern Ukrainian city of

Donetsk Donetsk ( , ; ; ), formerly known as Aleksandrovka, Yuzivka (or Hughesovka), Stalin, and Stalino, is an industrial city in eastern Ukraine located on the Kalmius River in Donetsk Oblast, which is currently occupied by Russia as the capita ...

. By November 30, 101 miners were reported dead: the worst accident in Ukraine's history. At the time of the explosion, 457 miners were in the complex.

Causes and investigation

The accident was caused by a methane explosion located more than below ground level. The Zasyadko Mine is considered one of the most dangerous

coal mine Coal mining is the process of resource extraction, extracting coal from the ground or from a mine. Coal is valued for its Energy value of coal, energy content and since the 1880s has been widely used to Electricity generation, generate electr ...

s in the world, An independent mining expert recently claimed that the company management, linked to a powerful local clan, interferes with hazard-

measuring Measurement is the quantification of attributes of an object or event, which can be used to compare with other objects or events. In other words, measurement is a process of determining how large or small a physical quantity is as compared to ...

equipment on a permanent basis, in order to present underground situation as being within the

safety standards Safety standards are standards designed to ensure the safety of products, activities and processes, etc. Additional descriptive terms may help to clarify what hazards are being addressed, such as workplace safety standards (to keep workers safe), ...

, and so to prevent production from closure by the government inspectors.

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

Viktor Yushchenko Viktor Andriiovych Yushchenko (, ; born 23 February 1954) is a Ukrainian politician who was the third president of Ukraine from 23 January 2005 to 25 February 2010. He aimed to orient Ukraine towards Western world, the West, European Union, and N ...

blamed the cabinet for failing to “implement safe mining practices” in the coal industry. A criminal investigation is also underway.

Government reaction

Families of the deceased miners will receive compensations totaling ₴100,000, (approx. $ USD) which constitutes part of the ₴15 million that the

Government of Ukraine The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (), commonly referred to as the Government of Ukraine (), is the highest body of state Executive (government), executive power in Ukraine. As the Cabinet of Ministers of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republi ...

had set aside for renovation of the mine to prevent future accidents from happening. On November 19, 2007,

signed a decree that calls for investigation into Zasyadko mine disaster as well as prevention of such disasters in the future. The President also signed a decree making November 20 a Day of National Mourning.

Mining accidents trend

Within the past decade, the frequency of mining accidents has increased in the

Donbas The Donbas (, ; ) or Donbass ( ) is a historical, cultural, and economic region in eastern Ukraine. The majority of the Donbas is occupied by Russia as a result of the Russo-Ukrainian War. The word ''Donbas'' is a portmanteau formed fr ...

coal region. The Zasyadko mine accident is the deadliest ever accident in Ukraine, surpassing the Barakova Mine accident in 2000, which killed at least 80 workers. The Zasyadko Mine, Ukraine's largest and most equipped mine, employs 10,000 people and produces up to 10,000 tons of coal per day. Prior to this, four previous major mining accidents at the mine had killed a total of 148 workers combined.

Recurring accidents

Twelve days later, on December 1, 2007, at 5:55 local time another methane explosion happened in the same mine section injuring 52 miners. After this, at 21:20 local time on December 2, another explosion occurred, killing at least 5 workers and injuring 30 more.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zasyadko mine disaster, 2007 Explosions in 2007 2007 mining disasters November 2007 in Ukraine Gas explosions in Ukraine Coal mining disasters in Ukraine History of Donetsk 2007 disasters in Ukraine

Causes and investigation

Government reaction

Mining accidents trend

Recurring accidents

See also

References