Turkey Keeps 3 Suspects in Custody in Mine Disaster Probe
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - A Turkish court ordered three suspects to be kept in custody on a provisional charge of "causing multiple deaths" in last week's mine disaster, as the last of the 301 victims were buried.
Of the remaining 22 people detained earlier, six suspects have been released but could face prosecution later. Questioning of the other 16 people was continuing.
The detentions came five days after a fire sent deadly carbon monoxide coursing through the mine in the western Turkish town of Soma, causing the county's worst ever industrial accident, Reuters reported.
The disaster has sparked protests across Turkey, directed at mine owners accused of ignoring safety for profit, and at Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's government, seen as too close to industry bosses and insensitive in its response.
An initial report on the possible causes of the accident indicated the fire may have been triggered by coal heating up after it came into contact with the air, Prosecutor Bekir Sahiner told reporters outside the Soma courthouse, rejecting initial reports that a transformer explosion was responsible.
"The crime of which the suspects are accused is causing multiple deaths and injuries due to negligence," he said.
The prosecutor did not identify the three suspects kept in custody but media reports said they were the plant manager and two mine engineers.
Earlier, relatives of those detained joined the crowd of reporters and bystanders outside the courthouse in Soma.