Officials: 22 dead, many trapped in Turkish coal mine blast

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish officials say an explosion inside a coal mine in northern Turkey has killed at least 22 people and dozens remain trapped underground. The explosion occurred Friday at a state-owned mine in the town of Amasra, in the Black Sea coastal province of Bartin. The country’s energy minister says a preliminary assessment indicates the blast was caused by firedamp — a reference to flammable gases found in coal mines. There were 110 people in the mine at the time of the explosion. Most were able to evacuate the mine following the blast, but the interior minister says 49 people were caught in a higher risk area of the mine.