Official: 17 more bodies recovered at Siberian power plant; death toll reaches 64

Official: Death toll in Siberian plant blast 64

MOSCOW — An official says 17 more bodies have been found at a Siberian power plant, raising the death toll from an accident there to 64.

Regional emergency official Dmitry Kudryatsev says rescuers draining the turbine room where the accident happened located the bodies early Saturday.

He said 11 workers are still missing at the massive Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric plant.

Officials are still investigating what caused Monday’s powerful explosion, which blew out walls and caused the turbine room to flood.

The accident has highlighted the poor state of Russian infrastructure and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has ordered officials to inspect strategic industrial plants and structures.