Explosion kills 31 at Ukrainian coal mine

Emergency workers had recovered 31 bodies later Tuesday and were seeking five others in the Krasnolimanskaya mine, said Andrey Klyuyev, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister in charge of investigation of the blast.

"We will keep searching," Kluyev told reporters.

The blast Monday night hit a section of the mine in the Donetsk region, about 3,180 feet below the surface, said Oleh Venzhyk, a spokesman for the Ministry for Emergency Situations.

Dozens of rescue teams searching for dead and injured miners were being hampered by raging fires, high concentrations of poisonous gases, heavy smoke and temperatures of up to 120, a rescuer who gave his name only as Volodymyr said by telephone.