Putin: Coal industry must take extra steps after Listvyazhnaya blast

MOSCOW, Dec 2 (PRIME) -- The Russian coal industry must take additional steps, including economic, after a blast at the Listvyazhnaya mine that killed 51, President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.

"The work of miners is known to carry elevated risk. At the same time, it is unacceptable to exploit the bravery of people who descend to the mines. Their lives and health must be protected," Putin said.

He added that he planned to revise the improvements made after a tragedy on the Raspadskaya mine 11 years ago and see what more can be done. "We will analyze these issues today. It is obvious that additional steps, including economic, will be needed here," Putin said.

A methane explosion caused the smoke emission at Listvyazhnaya, part of the SDS-Ugol company, one of Russia’s top-3 coal producers, on November 25.

Putin said that the blast happened due to a wide range of violations of the safety rules. Head of the Federal Service for Environmental, Technological, and Nuclear Oversight Alexander Trembitsky said that the main assumption of the cause of the accident was methane blast.

Kemerovo Region's Governor Sergei Tsivilyov said that a working group had detected more than 600 breaches of safety rules on the mines of the region. Works on Listvyazhnaya will continue until all dead bodies are lifted to the ground.

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