Turkey on Saturday announced the final death toll from this week's devastating coal blast as 301, after retrieving the bodies of the last two miners trapped underground. "The rescue operation was carried out to completion. There are no miners left underground," Energy Minister Taner Yildiz told reporters in the western town of Soma, site of the country's worst ever industrial disaster.
Another 485 miners either escaped or have been rescued since the explosion struck on Tuesday, AFP reports.
The disaster has led to a surge of popular anger in Turkey, fuelled by accusations of negligence by mine operators and what many saw as a heartless response from the government.
Turkey: Fire in mine delays rescue work, death toll climbs to 299
A fire broke out on Saturday in part of a mine, where nearly 300 miners were killed in Turkey's worst ever industrial disaster, hindering efforts to find up to three workers still believed to be underground, the country's energy minister said.
Taner Yildiz told reporters that the bodies of 15 miners were retrieved overnight, bringing the death total to 299, and as many as three workers were still in the mine. They were unlikey to be alive, four days after an initial fire sent deadly carbon monoxide coursing through the mine.
"It is a localised fire but it is important and we have to take note of it," Yildiz said. "Naturally, until it is brought under control, we can't do anything about up to three workers (believed still there)."
As the fire started, rescue teams were seen leaving the mine in the western town of Soma while fire-fighting teams went in.
Anger swept through Turkey as the extent of the disaster became clear, with protests aimed at mine owners accused of ignoring safety in favor of profit and, at Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's government, which is seen as being too close to industrial tycoons and insensitive in its reaction to the tragedy.
Riot police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse several thousand protesters in Soma on Friday.
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