CHINA / Regional |
Five killed in ill-fated north China coal mine(Xinhua)Updated: 2007-07-16 23:07 HEJIN, Shanxi -- Five people have now been confirmed dead from a coal mine blast in north China's Shanxi Province on Saturday after two more bodies were recovered from the debris, sources with the local rescue headquarters said. Rescuers pulled out two bodies on Sunday while the third fatality was reported from a local hospital when doctors were unable to save a man who was severely injured, an official said. Two of the dead were identified as safety inspectors of the mine while the other three were miners. Both inspectors and one miner were from Shanxi Province while one miner was from southwest China's Sichuan Province. Rescuers are trying to identify the fifth victim. The blast occurred at 5:16 a.m. Saturday at the Yuanzigou Coal Mine in Xiahua Village of Hejin, when 20 people, including 16 miners, two first-aid workers and two safety inspectors, were cleaning up the flooded pit after another accident in June. The ill-fated mine was flooded at 9:40 p.m. on June 24 - an accident that killed nine people but was covered up by its managers until the victims' families lodged a complaint with the local government. Police have detained 11 people who have been held accountable for the disaster and its cover-up, including mine owner He Yingze and four security personnel. |
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