NEWS: Turkey Mine Tragedy

Turkey Mine Tragedy

An explosion and fire in a coal mine in Soma, Turkey, on Tuesday claimed the lives of at least 245 miners and possibly more than a hundred more who remain unaccounted for. Though oxygen was pumped into the mine in an effort to keep those trapped alive during the rescue effort, many of the dead recovered thus far succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning, and hope is rapidly fading for those still underground. Because the fire took place during shift change, the precise number of miners inside at the time of the incident has been uncertain but is estimated at 787. The mine’s operator reports that 450 have so far been rescued. This is one of the worst mining tragedies in the country’s history. More… Discuss

This Day in the Yesteryear: ÉMILE ZOLA DIES OF CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING (1902)

Émile Zola Dies of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning (1902)

Zola had an ardent zeal for social reform. His part in the Dreyfus Affair, notably his 1898 article “J’accuse,” was his most conspicuous public action and earned him the animosity of the anti-Dreyfus party. Prosecuted for libel, he escaped to England, where he remained until an amnesty enabled his return to France. A couple of years later, he died suddenly under suspicious circumstances, overcome by carbon-monoxide fumes in his sleep. Was it just a tragic accident or something more sinister? More… Discuss