DURSUNBEY - Death toll rose to 17 after a methane gas explosion ripped through a coal mine in western city of Balikesir, said Turkish Energy & Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler.
Visiting the site, Guler told reporters that there were 57 people in the coal mine.
''35 of them were rescued, while five of them were wounded. Unfortunately 17 people lost their lives. Three people are still trapped in the mine, and we are trying to rescue them,'' he indicated.
Guler said that the collapse had not been caused by negligence, but a full investigation will be carried out.
17 people who died in the collapse were identified as Adil Kuyucu, Fehmi Karaca, Muzaffer Aydin, Ahmet Gunes, Timucin Kaya, Halil Erdem, Ramazan Tarhan, Ahmet Avci, Saadettin Eryilmaz, Idris Gulenc, Ozcan Bayram, Osman Afacan, Ismail Aslantas, Nuri Akcan, Salih Evcimen, Ramazan Inci and Ali Ince.''
The injured are under treatment in Dursunbey State Hospital.