A deadly explosion at the Cerredo mine in the Asturias region of northern Spain has claimed the lives of at least five workers and injured four others, according to local emergency services, as per Al Jazeera.
The accident occurred Monday morning in Degana, approximately 280 miles northwest of Madrid. The five fatalities were all from the neighboring Leon region and ranged in age from 32 to 54 years old.
Adriana Lastra, a representative of the central government in Asturias, informed reporters at the scene that preliminary investigations suggest the blast may have been caused by a buildup of methane gas, resulting in a firedamp explosion.
The injured miners were transported to hospitals in nearby cities, with two airlifted by helicopter. They are reported to have suffered burns and, in one case, a head injury.
News of the explosion prompted an influx of workers’ families to the mine site, which has been cordoned off by police and emergency services.
According to local newspaper La Voz de Asturias, the Cerredo mine is owned by Blue Solving, a recently established company aiming to repurpose the site for the extraction of “high-performance minerals” for industrial applications.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the injured in a statement posted on X.
Adrian Barbon, the head of the regional government of Asturias, declared two days of mourning “as a sign of respect for the deceased.”
Mining has long been a significant industry in Asturias, a mountainous and densely forested region.
