Number of injured victims at Sarawak mine explosion rises

Sri Aman District Police Chief, DSP Mat Jusoh Mohamad, said the three people who had died in the incident so far were identified as an Indonesian national, a North Korean and a Myanmar national.

"However, further details on the identity of the deceased victims have not been obtained in full," he said when contacted here.

He said the incident, which occurred at about 9am, was caused by sparks from a faulty fan which ignited a gas fire and explosion in a tunnel at the mine which was about 69 metres deep.

"During the incident, 29 workers who were in the tunnel rushed out to save themselves besides helping their colleagues who suffered serious injuries," he said.

Mat Jusoh said the bodies of those who died in the incident had been taken to Sri Aman Hospital for post-mortem while 16 of the injured victims were also treated at the same hospital.

The other victims were referred to the Pantu Rural Clinic and Serian District Hospital, about 60 km from here.

Mat Jusoh said the coal mine, which was located three kilometres away from the Sri Aman-Kuching main road, had been in operation for the past eight years.