Reports are coming in of a mine blast in Colombia which has killed at least 16 workers and trapped dozens more.

Relatives of one of the miners who was found dead mourning by his body at a make shift morgue near the coal mine in Colombia - Photo by : REUTERS/Fredy Amariles

According to officials in Colombia, the blast which occurred during a change of shift between workers in the coal mine led to an explosion killing at least 16 and trapping up to 50 miners on Wednesday at the San Fernando mine, south of Medellin in the state of Antioquia.

Relatives of the trapped miners were anxiously waiting for good news of loved ones after a blast in a tunnel thought to be with fire ripped through the mine.

Rescue efforts have also been hampered with due to methane and carbon monoxide in the mines.

Diana Sepulveda a 28-year-old woman who was waiting for news of her husband said to The Associated Press “It’s impossible that anyone is alive, if the explosion didn’t kill him, the gas did because it was very dense.”

Officials have confirmed that two people one with burns to his body managed to escape the explosion while 16 people were found.

The explosion is thought to have been caused by methane gas buildup which occurred in an access tunnel which leads to around 150 metres deep into the mine.

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