Society

15 dead in SW China mine gas leak

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-08-03 19:38

Rescuers carry the body of a miner who died in a gas outburst at the Mingyang Coal Mine in Changgang township, Renhuai city, Southwest China's Guizhou province, August 3, 2010.[Photo/Xinhua]

GUIYANG - The death toll from a coal mine gas leak in southwest China's Guizhou Province Tuesday has risen to 15, but one miner is still missing, rescuers said.

The latest investigation showed that 59 miners, rather than the 60 reported earlier, were working underground when the accident happened at the Mingyang Coal Mine in Changgang Township, Renhuai City, at around 9:30 am, a spokesman with the rescue headquarters said Tuesday.

Related readings:  9 dead, 7 trapped in C China coal mine accident  Coal mine blast death toll rises to 17 in N China  6 miners dead after colliery cave in E China

Forty-three managed to escape or were rescued.

Seventeen miners were taken to hospital after inhaling toxic gas, and two were described as seriously ill, the spokesman said.

Rescuers are still searching for the last trapped miner, he said.

Mingyang Coal Mine is a licensed private coal mine with a production capacity of 90,000 tonnes per year.