A deadly explosion at a coal mine has claimed the lives of around eight people in Western Ukraine.
However, 20 miners were reported to have been rescued after a methane explosion took place at the Stepnaya mine in Sokal district of Lviv region.
As per the emergency officials, around 34 miners have been working in the blasting area, which is about 500m underground.
There have been 172 miners working in the Stepnaya mine, when the explosion occurred.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko announced that all coal mines will undergo new safety inspections, after the incident, BBC reported.
Ukraine experiences frequent mine accidents that claim lives of many people each year. The country mostly depends on coal to generate electricity.
In February 2014, seven miners were killed at the in Ukraine's mineral-rich Donetsk region, following a methane blast, reported Reuters.
A similar accident took place at the same mine in June 2010, killing two miners.
In Ukraine, most of the coal deposits are situated in the Donets Basin, which is in the Eastern part of the country. Donets Basin is estimated to contribute to 90% of the coal production in the country.
There are also reserves n the northwestern area between the cities of Lviv and Volodymyr-Volynskyi.
Coal represents about 95% of Ukraine's domestic energy resources, according to the Ukrainian mining trade union.