Eleven people were killed, and over ten were trapped in a Colombian coal mine explosion.

According to the governor of the Cundinamarca department, a coal mine explosion in central Colombia killed at least 11 people and trapped ten more.
According to Governor Nicolas Garcia of the municipality of Sutatausa, the accident occurred due to an accumulation of gases that exploded after a worker’s tool caused a spark.

The explosion occurred late Tuesday night at a network of legal mines.

In images from local media, firefighters and rescue workers could be seen at the mine entrances, with a handful of relatives awaiting word on their loved ones.

According to Garcia, the miners were trapped 900 meters (2,950 feet) underground, making access difficult for the more than 100 rescuers working on the search.

“Every minute that passes means that there is less oxygen,” he explained.

Colombia’s main exports are oil and coal, and mining accidents are common.

In August, nine miners were rescued from a collapsed illegal coal mine in the central department of Cundinamarca.