One miner has been confirmed dead following a colliery flood
that trapped eight in northeast China's Liaoning Province Tuesday, a local official
said Wednesday.
Jian Changfu, a 40-year-old migrant from southwest China's
Sichuan Province, was seriously injured when the privately-run
Dahenan Colliery was flooded at 10:50 AM Tuesday, said Shang
Chunjie, head of coal administration in Dengta, a city about 50
kilometers south of Liaoning's provincial capital Shenyang.
The ill-fated coal mine is located in Huazi Township of
Dengta.
"Jian was found by rescuers and sent to Dengta Central Hospital
Tuesday afternoon. He died that night," Shang said in an
interview.
By midday Wednesday, another miner was still missing, and more
than 40 rescuers were searching for him. Shang said the rescue work
could be lengthy as there was still a risk of further collapse.
The other six surviving miners were injured in the accident, and
one of them is still on the hospital's critical list, according to
Shang.
Surging demand for winter coal has spurred production but also
caused a string of deadly accidents.
In one of the most recent tragedies, a colliery flood killed six
miners and left two missing in southwestern Guizhou Province on Sunday.
In north China's coal-rich Shanxi Province, two recent colliery accidents
have killed at least 66 people.
(Xinhua News Agency November 15, 2006)