Turkish mine operator Soma Holding said on Friday 284 people were confirmed dead and 18 others were thought still to be trapped underground after a fire in its mine in the western town of Soma.

The company said 363 people were evacuated from the mine after fire broke out on Tuesday and a further 122 miners were hospitalised. It said there were 787 miners working at the time.

It also said there was no negligence on the part of the company and that it still did not know the exact cause of the accident.

"We still do not know how the accident happened. There is no negligence of ours in this incident. We all worked heart and soul," said Akin Celik, the plant manager of the mine, run by Soma Holding. – Reuters