32 killed in eastern Ukraine coal mine explosion

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At least 32 miners were killed in an explosion at a coal mine in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region, the speaker of the Ukrainian parliament said on Wednesday.

Speaker Vladimir Groisman said at the Verkhovna Rada session that the tragedy occurred in the early hours of Wednesday at the Zasyadko coal mine in Donetsk, Tass news agency reported.

A spokesperson for the emergencies ministry of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic earlier said one miner was killed and 14 injured in the explosion.

"According to preliminary reports, 73 miners were trapped underground," the spokesperson said.

According to Xinhua news agency, Groisman told lawmkers that the mine is controlled by the pro-independence inosurgents, Groysman told lawmakers, without giving further details.

Meanwhile, according to the state department of basic industries development in Donetsk, the explosion took place at around 5.30 a.m. when a large amount of methane gas was ignited 1,200 metres below the surface.

The Ukrainian Independent Union of Miners said there were 207 people working underground at the time of the explosion and 47 miners remain missing.

Operations at the mine were suspended and rescue efforts are under way.

The Zasyadko mine, which is reportedly dangerous for its high methane content, has a long history of safety violations.

In November 2007, 101 workers were killed in an accident at the mine. In December 2007, 52 more workers were killed there and five more were killed in another accident later that month.