Rescuers are still searching for three missing miners, said Alexander Abramov, chief executive at Evrazholding Group, the largest investor in the mine and its biggest client.

 

Methane gas caused the explosion early on Saturday 600m down the Taizhina pit in Russia's Kuzbass coalmining region. The blast sparked a fire underground and caused the shaft to collapse in several places. Gas flooded the underground tunnels and knocked out the ventilation system.

 

Of 59 miners reported to be in the pit at the time of the accident, six were brought to safety. They were suffering from burns and injuries, and three had to be carried out on stretchers. Another six miners at the top of the shaft escaped unhurt.

 

The governor of the Kemerovo region, Aman Tuleyev, went to the scene at the town of Osinniki to comfort the miners' families and to oversee the rescue operation.

 

He declared a day of mourning as prosecutors opened a criminal investigation for negligence.

 

A commission to look into the causes of the accident has been formed by the Russian government.

 

The Taizhina mine is one of 15 operated by Siberia-based Yuzhkuzbassugol, in which Evrazholding is the largest shareholder. Evrazholding is Russia's largest steel producer and uses 1.2Mt of coal a month.