Turkey put the death toll from the devastating mine blast at 245 on Wednesday, and a coal mine operator said nearly 450 of its workers had been rescued as an explosion at a coal mine in western the country

Turkey put the death toll from the devastating mine blast at 245 on Wednesday, and a coal mine operator said nearly 450 of its workers had been rescued as an explosion at a coal mine in western the country, one of the worst industrial disasters ever to hit it.

Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said 363 workers had been pulled out alive in the initial stages of the rescue on Tuesday, while Turkish media said early Wednesday another six had been rescued.

But Yildiz said fires and the risk of toxic carbon monoxide were hampering rescue efforts.

"I must say that our hopes about rescue efforts inside (the mine) are fading," he told reporters.

In all, 201 miners have been confirmed dead after a blast Tuesday at the mine in Manisa province trapped 787 mineworkers. Of those rescued alive, 80 were injured, four of them seriously, Yildiz said.

Earlier a security source told AFP that there were pockets in the mine, one of which was open so rescuers were able to reach the workers, but the second was blocked with workers trapped inside.

The explosion was believed to have been triggered by a faulty electrical transformer at around 1230 GMT Tuesday.

Hundreds of people gathered around the explosion site as rescuers brought out injured workers, who were coughing and struggling to breathe due to the dust.