A coal mine explosion in Turkey's northern Bartın province, believed to have been caused by a transformer, left at least 49 workers trapped on Friday according to local authorities.

"Right now, there are 44 people 300 (metres below the entrance of the mine) and five people 350 (metres below)," Governor Nurtac Arslan was quoted saying by local media. Arslan added that eight people were able to leave the mine by their own means.

The explosion was allegedly caused by a transformer in the coal mine, which is owned by the state's Turkish Hard Coal Enterprises, Turkey's Disaster Management Authority (AFAD) said. The Bartın Governor’s office reported that the explosion occurred 300 metres below the entrance of the mine at around 1515 GMT.

Turkish TV footage showed people being carried to ambulances, with emergency personnel crowding the area. Energy Minister Fatih Donmez and Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu were headed to the scene, according to local media.

There are reports multiple people may have been killed as a result of the explosion, but that has not been confirmed at this time.

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