ANKARA, Turkey -- Rescuers struggled to reach more than 200 miners trapped underground early today after an explosion and fire at a coal mine in western Turkey killed at least 201 workers, authorities said, in one of the worst mining disasters in Turkish history.
Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said early today that up to 787 people were inside the coal mine in Soma at the time of the accident and 363 of them had been rescued. He said 80 miners were injured, including at least four who were in serious condition.
Authorities said the disaster followed an explosion and fire caused by a power-distribution unit at the mine, which is about 155 miles from Istanbul.
Yildiz said many, and perhaps most, of the miners had died of smoke inhalation. "We're dealing with carbon-monoxide and carbon-dioxide poisoning," he said.
The mine's air circulation system was reversed to deliver fresh air to underground areas away from the fire. Early this morning there were conflicting reports about whether the fire was under control.
"Time is working against us," Yildiz said as about 400 rescuers searched for more survivors. Yildiz said some of the trapped workers were 460 yards inside the mine.
The explosion set off a fire that blocked exits from the mine, Cenguz Ergun, the mayor of the town of Manisa, said in a telephone interview with CNN Turk news television. The accident took place in Soma township in Manisa province, which has some of the world's largest coal reserves.
"It is very saddening," he said.
The explosion happened as workers were changing shifts in midafternoon, which made it more difficult for officials to determine how many miners were trapped inside the mine. A total of 787 miners were registered at site, in two shifts.
Television footage showed people cheering and applauding as some trapped workers emerged out of the mine Tuesday, helped by rescuers, their faces and hard-hats covered in soot. One wiped away tears on his jacket, another smiled, waved and flashed a thumbs up at onlookers.
Authorities had earlier said the blast left between 200 to 300 miners underground. They were preparing for the possibility that the death toll could jump dramatically, making arrangements to set up a cold storage facility to hold the corpses of miners recovered from the site.
Nurettin Akcul, a mining trade union leader, told HaberTurk television that Turkey was likely facing its worst mining accident ever.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a televised statement that rescue teams organized both by the country's disaster and emergency management agency and the coal mine itself were working hard to save the rest of the trapped miners.
"God willing, we hope to receive more accurate information and news to cool our hearts," he said.
Erdogan postponed a one-day visit to Albania scheduled for today and planned to visit Soma instead.
The rescue effort was being hampered by the fact that the mine was made up of tunnels that were miles long, said Cengiz Ergun, the leader of Manisa province, where the town is located.
Hundreds of people gathered outside the mine and the hospital in Soma seeking news of their loved ones. NTV television said people broke into applause as rescued workers arrived in ambulances.
Interviewed by Dogan news agency, some complained about the lack of information from state and company officials about the situation of the trapped workers.
Police set up fences and stood guard around Soma state hospital to keep the crowds away.
SOMA Komur Isletmeleri A.S., which owns the mine, confirmed that a number of its workers were killed but would not give a specific figure. It said the accident occurred despite the "highest safety measures and constant controls" and added that an investigation was being launched.
"Our main priority is to get our workers out so that they may be reunited with their loved ones," the company said in a statement.
Mining accidents are common in Turkey, which is plagued by poor safety conditions. Turkey's worst mining disaster was a 1992 gas explosion that killed 263 workers near the Black Sea port of Zonguldak.
Although many people questioned safety conditions at the coal mine, the Labor Ministry issued a statement late Tuesday that said the complex had been regularly inspected and was in compliance with occupational health and safety regulations.
Information for this article was contributed by Berza Simsek, Desmond Butler and Suzan Fraser of The Associated Press and by Sebnem Arsu of The New York Times.
A Section on 05/14/2014