Ukraine coal mine: Dozens feared dead in Zasyadko gas blast

They only confirmed 23 deaths at the Zasyadko coal mine. Ukraine's officials say as many as 33 people may have died.

There are fears the rebels lack the resources to deal with the disaster, the BBC's Tom Burridge reports.

Zasyadko was the scene of Ukraine's worst mine disaster nearly eight years ago, when 101 people were killed.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has demanded access to the mine for government rescuers and police.

The mine is close to a front line where the pro-Russian rebels have been battling Ukrainian government troops.

However, Ukraine's mine unions head Mykhailo Volynets told a Ukrainian TV channel there had been no fighting in the area in recent days.

While Ukraine's economy has significantly shrunk since fighting began in April, many coal mines continue to operate in the conflict zone.

Mining safety standards are poor, and there are frequent accidents.

The rebels said 23 miners were confirmed dead.

But the Ukraine-controlled Donetsk regional administration said later on Wednesday that 33 people died, and nine bodies had already been recovered.

It is known that, at the time of the blast, 230 people were in the shaft. About 200 have now been accounted for.

The sister of one miner who was in the pit at the time of the explosion, Alexei Novoselsky, stood at the entrance to the mine, in tears, Reuters reports.

"Tell me, are there survivors?" she asked a passing rescue worker. "Why are you concealing the truth?"

A welder at the mine, who gave his name as Oleg, said: "I've been down the pit for 23 years, and this is the fourth explosion that I can recall.

"If they didn't get them out straight away, then later they will only retrieve bodies. An explosion is a terrible thing."

The mine is one of Ukraine's biggest coal producers.

At the end of last year, the mine was reportedly still supplying coal to coke and chemical works owned by Ukraine's wealthiest businessman, Rinat Akhmetov, in Donetsk region.

(BBC)