2 Killed in Chile mine accident

Santiago, Agency
Two workers were killed in an explosion Monday at the Los Reyes copper mine in northern Chile, media outlets reported.
The miners who died were identified as Daniel Lazcano, 24, and Homero Aguirre, 40, according to the Chilean press, but those accounts have not been officially confirmed to Efe by the Mining Ministry or by the National Emergency Office.

A third worker, identified as Mauricio Silva, was injured and was taken to the hospital in Copiapo, 800 kilometers (500 miles) north of Santiago.

"Possibly, there were two people inside the mine and a third who managed to escape," Atacama provincial Gov. Ximena Matas told Radio Cooperativa.

The governor, who did not confirm that anyone had been killed, on Monday afternoon traveled to the Los Reyes mine.

Media outlets reported that the two dead workers were from the Valparaiso region and had begun working on Monday in the mine, which Radio Cooperativa said was not registered with the National Geology and Mining Service.

The mine where the accident occurred is near the San Jose mine, where a roof collapse trapped 33 workers 700 meters (2,275 feet) below ground from Aug. 5 to Oct. 13, when they were extracted thanks to an unprecedented rescue operation.