Poisonous gas killed 13 workers and injured another on Wednesday
at the Nanwugou Coal Mine at Linfen City, in north China's Shanxi
Province. There were 14 miners underground when the incident
occurred.
At about 4:00 AM, workers discovered that the shaft they were
working in intersected with that of another mine, according to
China News Service. Eight were immediately sent to block the other
shaft, and another six sent in at about 6:00 AM.
Two hours later, two of the mine's managers entered the shaft
and found the bodies of the latter six miners. They reported the
incident and a rescue team was sent in.
Rescuers found only one man still alive, and recovered the
bodies of the other 13.
No reports are yet available on the condition of the
survivor.
A preliminary investigation indicates that gas accumulated
within the mine to lethal levels, but the cause of the buildup has
not yet been determined.
In recent weeks, hundreds have died in mining accidents.
A total of 166 people died in a massive gas explosion at the
Chenjiashan mine in Shaanxi
Province on November 28. Just 38 days before the Shaanxi
accident, an explosion at the Daping mine in Henan
claimed 147 lives.
Zhao Tiechui, deputy director of the State Administration of
Work Safety, said that the Chenjiashan disaster was the worst in
China in 44 years, following a gas explosion that killed 187 miners
on November 28, 1960, in Henan Province.
The worst coal mining disaster in the world occurred in China,
prior to the founding of the People's Republic. On April 26, 1942,
a coal dust explosion at the Benxihu Colliery killed 1,549
people.
From January to November, 3,413 accidents were reported
nationwide, claiming 5,286 lives, according to the State
Administration of Work Safety.
The Hebei
Province procuratorate's office reported this week that four
local officials have been detained and charged with dereliction of
duty in connection with the November 20 iron ore mine fire that
killed 70 last month, according to Xinhua News Agency.
The detained officials were responsible for granting operating
permits to the mines, conducting safety inspections and organizing
and overseeing special training for miners.
Shi Juxing, Liu Shengmin, Liu Guimin and Guo Zhengmin were in
charge of work safety and natural resources at the mine near Shahe
City when the fire broke out on November 20, Xinhua said.
(China.org.cn, CRI.com December 23, 2004)