Authorities in Turkey reported Friday that 24 people have been detained for their alleged involvement in a powerful explosion two weeks ago at a coal mine in the northern province of Bartin that left 41 people dead.
The mine manager, Cihat Ozdemir, as well as top administrators and engineers, have been arrested, while police are still searching for another suspect, Anatolia news agency reported.
The explosion at the mine left at least a dozen people injured, some of whom are still hospitalized in critical condition. Another 58 miners were rescued.
However, the authorities have not yet clarified the causes of the explosion, which is believed to have originated at a depth of 300 km. The Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation to clarify what happened and to determine if there was any negligence.
