ZONGULDAK, Jan 7 (A.A) - A total of 970 workers died and 137,735 others were injured in Turkish Coal Institution's (TTK) mines in northern province of Zonguldak in the last 25 years.
Many gas explosions, collapses and similar accidents occurred in Uzulmez, Amasra, Armutcuk, Kozlu and Karadon mines between 1977 and 2001.
A gas explosion in Kozlu mine 1992 killed 277 workers and injured 5,214 others.
Death toll and number of injured in accidents in mines between 1977 and 2001 are as follows:
YEAR DEATH TOLL NUMBER OF INJURED
----- ---------- -----------------
1977 47 5,848
1978 63 6,878
1979 43 7,292
1980 38 6,880
1981 35 7,706
1982 26 7,956
1983 145 8,159
1984 18 8,358
1985 35 8,132
1986 23 6,718
1987 33 6,485
1988 32 7,032
1989 20 6,792
1990 23 6,253
1991 16 5,185
1992 277 5,214
1993 15 4,386
1994 12 3,126
1995 13 2,373
1996 4 2,560
1997 22 2,322
1998 12 1,928
1999 4 1,722
2000 9 4,090
2001 5 4,340
TTK Director General Omer Yenel told the A.A correspondent on Monday that the investments on work security in mines played a key role in decrease in the accidents in recent years.
Noting that the investments on mines were carried out completely, Yenel said, ''the accidents will be reduced to the least level with the completion of project investments underground. All possibilites are being used to make the coal mines safe. Furthermore, works for the increase in production and in productivity are continuing. A total of 18,145 workers works in TTK.''
Turk-Is General Organization Secretary and General Mine Workers Labour Union (GMIS) Secretary General Cetin Altun said that the decrease in the accidents in mines in recent years was related with the workers' conscious production, and added that they trained to the workers against the possible accidents.