COlombia

Five die in mine explosion

Bogota (AP):

Colombian officials say five miners were killed in the second explosion in an underground coal mine in less than a week.

Manuel Valderrama is the top security official in the South American country's central Cundinamarca province. He tells The Associated Press that five miners were killed and one injured in yesterday's blast at the La Escondida mine about 7 a.m. local time (7 a.m. EST; 1200 GMT).

Valderrama says that a methane gas build-up is believed to be blamed, but an official cause has not been determined.

Methane gas has also been blamed for an explosion that killed 21 miners in the northeastern state of Norte de Santander on January 26.

Colombia is South America's number one coal exporter. Its biggest mines are open pits.

A colleague looks on as miner Fabio Veloza (left) weeps in front of the La Preciosa mine in Colombia, last Thursday. Two relatives of Veloza were among 20 miners feared dead after an explosion rocked the underground coal mine earlier in the day. AP