A seismic event triggered a fire and halted operations at the Alardinskaya mine in southwestern Siberia, according to Russian officials and news reports.
The Russian Ministry of Emergency Services confirmed that 120 miners were evacuated from the Alardinskaya mine, located in the Kuznetsk Basin (Kuzbass), with two requiring medical attention. Regional prosecutors, cited by news agencies RIA and TASS, believe the fire was caused by the seismic event, which has not yet been extinguished.
The Alardinskaya mine is part of the larger Raspadskaya coal mine complex and has an annual production capacity of 3 million metric tons of coal, according to RIA. Interfax news agency reported that, following the incident, operations at the mine have been suspended.
