1.
CU MAP OF AREA
0.06

2.
CU MINER ZOOM OUT TO MINERS CARRYING BODY ON STRETCHER PAN TO OTHER MINERS WATCHING
0.32

3.
SV MINERS CARRYING STRETCHER OUT PAN BACK TO OTHERS LOOKING ON
0.56

4.
SV GUARDS PAN TO ANOTHER GROUP OF MINERS CARRYING ANOTHER BODY ON STRETCHER
1.12



Initials LD/V-TELE/PC



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: IN A GAS EXPLOSION AT THE BREZA COAL MINE NEAR SARAJEVO, IN CENTRAL YUGOSLAVIA, A GAS EXPLOSION TODAY (SATURDAY) KILLED FORTY-EIGHT MINERS AND INJURED TEN OTHER OF THE 83 MEN WHO WERE REPORTED TO BE WORKING DOWN THE PIT AT THE TIME.

THE EXPLOSION OCCURRED AT 8 A.M. LOCAL TIME - AND AT FIRST IT WAS BELIEVED THAT THE DEATH TOLL REACHED TWENTY-FIVE, BUT LATER IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT MANY MORE MINERS WERE TRAPPED IN A DEEPER PIT AND FOUND TO BE DEAD WHEN RESCUERS REACHED THEM.

THE BLAST IS SAID TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED WHEN METHANE GAS EXPLODED, BLOWING OUT THE ROOF OF ONE PIT OF THE BREZA MINE - WHICH, UNTIL THE DISASTER, WAS KNOWN AS "GOOD LUCK".

TWENTY-FIVE MEN MANAGED TO SCRAMBLE OUT OF THE PIT SHORTLY AFTERWARDS - AND RETURNED TO HELP SEARCH FOR THEIR COLLEAGUES.

AS WORKERS WERE BRINGING UP THE BODIES OF THE DEAD, THE YUGOSLAVIAN GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED THAT TOMORROW (SUNDAY) WOULD BE A DAY OF NATIONAL MOURNING FOR THOSE LOST IN THE DISASTER.