Russia: Death toll from Siberian coal mine fire raised to 52
By DARIA LITVINOVA and VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV
Associated Press
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian news reports say that 52 miners and rescuers have died in a a devastating fire that rushed through a Siberian coal mine about 250 meters (820 feet) underground. Hours after a methane gas explosion and fire filled the mine with toxic fumes, rescuers found 14 bodies but then were forced to halt the search for 38 others because of a buildup of methane and a high concentration of carbon monoxide fumes. The state Tass and RIA-Novosti news agencies cited emergency officials as saying that there was no chance of finding any more survivors. The Interfax news agency cited a representative of the regional administration who also put the death toll from Thursday’s fire at 52