The anger over the mine tragedy in Turkey turns against Erdogan

The anger of the people of Soma (western Anatolia) has exploded on Tuesday against the government of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The city recorded on Tuesday, one of the greatest tragedies of mining in Turkey kills at least 282 workers after the explosion in a gallery, as confirmed by the Government prior to ordering three days of national mourning.

Erdogan, who on Wednesday traveled to Soma, in the province of Manisa, announced that the incident will be investigated to the smallest details. "All necessary measures will be taken," he said, after declaring that accidents are "normal", but this "has affected us deeply."

Hundreds of people gather at the focal Soma waiting for news about their relatives because another 120 workers still remain trapped inside the mine, according to the Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said.

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Groups of protesters have surrounded the official car of the head of government and have been kicked while calling for the resignation of Erdogan, who has had to leave the vehicle and seek shelter in a trade while police reinforcements arrived, as reported by the Dogan agency.

The accident occurred about 200 meters deep to unleash a fire after an explosion in an electrical transformer in the coal mine. The main cause of death was inhalation of carbon monoxide, which in turn hampers the rescue. The fire occurred during a shift change, hence the high number of workers present in mining, explained a union leader in the area. Hundreds of them escaped and 70 were saved by rescuers.

Relatives of the miners wait for news at the entrance to the mine. / B. KILIC (AFP)

Facilities near the mine has improvised a new cemetery to bury those killed in the accident. Relatives wept and prayed for their dead while others were digging new graves for the bodies were still to come.

Turkey is living with a shock mining tragedy. The flags are flying at half mast and from regions arrive gestures of support and solidarity for the victims.

In the midst of national mourning has arisen a clamor of social outrage.Students from the University of Ankara clashed with police during a protest at the lack of safety measures in mining. In Istanbul, groups of demonstrators gathered last night in Taksim Square, cordoned off by police, under the slogan "Justice for Soma." That place was the scene of protests against Erdogan wave that broke a year ago in the nearby park Gezi .

Turkey is one of the countries with the largest number of mining accidents, with more than 3,000 people in the last 70 years. In mine Soma, safety conditions for workers were terrible and employing minors.

Alp Gürkan, president of Soma Holding, one of the largest mining companies in Turkey, recently admitted that it had reduced operating costs by replacing transformers manufactured by others in their own company.