A mining disaster in the Arctic on Thursday has left twelve dead and several others injured. A blast went off at the Russian Rasvumchorrsky mine around 8:30 pm Thursday night. According to Irina Gretskaya, who is a spokesperson for the regional Emergency Situations Ministry, mine employees were working with explosives that were to be used in a controlled blast.

After the blast, there was a fire at the mine, located outside the Arctic town of Kirovsk. “A fire broke out after the blast, and 18 people were at the site,” Gretskaya said. “Six managed to escape from the mine and were hospitalized with various injuries. The rescue teams later found the bodies of 12 other workers.”

There had already been 18 tons of explosives set with another 30 waiting to be placed when the explosion happened. The controlled blast had been set for today. Apatit, the company that owns the mine, said in a Friday statement that it has suspended all production and operations at the Rasvumchorrsky mine. It is unknown when, or even if, the mine will open again.

A criminal investigation into the blast has been opened by regional prosecutors who will be looking at whether or not there were any safety violations that may have lead to the explosion. The investigation is being lead by Maxim Yershov, the region’s top prosecutor. There has also been a commission created by Rostekhnadzor, which is Russia’s mining safety watchdog, into the explosion at Rasvumchorrsky.

A spokesperson for the Federal Service for Ecological, Technological and Atomic Inspection, Alexei Shpagin, says that it is not out to punish the company, but rather to ensure the safety of it’s workers.

“Our purpose is not to revoke the companies’ licenses, but rather to prevent such accidents and to improve the safety conditions both at this site and similar ones.”