Striking miner's sons narrowly escape deadly mine collapse

The sons of a striking coal miner were among those injured in a collapse at the Çayırhan Coal Mine in Turkey's Nallıhan district. Bahattin Akkayaoğlu, who has been protesting in Ankara for 13 days with the Independent Mine-Work Union over unpaid wages from Doruk Madencilik, learned that his two sons were hurt in the incident.

The collapse occurred in section K510 of the mine during the evening shift, which had approximately 30 workers. One worker died, and 24 others were injured. Akkayaoğlu's sons were among the injured, narrowly escaping the falling debris. One son was leaving the work area as the collapse happened, while the other was just entering.

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My elder son was working the day shift and stayed for overtime, the other had just gone down to the mine when the collapse happened. One was just leaving from inside, the other was just entering when the collapse occurred. They escaped by a hair's breadth. My younger son was further away and wasn't hit much. I am also retired from there myself.

Akkayaoğlu, who is also a retired miner from the same region, expressed his profound fear upon hearing about his sons' injuries. He recounted a conversation with his wife, who was distressed by the news. "If I couldn't reach my children, I would have gotten up and left [the protest]. When I reached them, I didn't go, I stayed here," he told Evrensel.

Both sons were reportedly traumatized by the incident and chose to sleep on the upper floor of their home afterward. The protest in Ankara prevented Akkayaoğlu from traveling to Beypazarı to be with his family immediately after the accident.

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My wife had a stroke years ago, she is fine now, thank God. When she heard about the collapse yesterday, she was very scared and crying when I called. If I couldn't reach my children, I would have gotten up and left. When I reached them, I didn't go, I stayed here.