Most of the deaths were the result of carbon monoxide poisoning. A massive rescue operation was launched. 363 of them had been rescued in the first etape, 76 of them being injured. As estimated by the officials, the death toll could jump dramatically because the rescue reached the critical stage. According to Energy Minister Taner Yildiz, 787 people were inside the coal mine at the time of the accident. Some of the workers were 420 meters deep inside the mine. The mine has tunnels kilometers (miles) long. Fact that electricity at the mine had not been restored impeded more the rescue efforts This is one of the worst mining disasters in Turkish history. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan postponed a one-day visit to Albania. A traffic jam that backed up for miles because many relatives tried to reach the mine using their cars. An investigation was being launched but the Labor Ministry said that the mine was in compliance with occupational health and safety regulations.
