7 miners trapped after colliery gas blast
Print Edition
FIVE people died and seven others are still trapped after a colliery gas outburst in central China’s Henan Province.
Rescue work is under way at the Xingyu colliery in the city of Dengfeng, though the location of those trapped remains unclear as debris blocking the shaft has not been completely cleared.
When the accident happened at 5:35pm on Wednesday, 39 miners managed to escape.
Gas density was lowered to safe levels yesterday, making it possible for rescuers to enter the shaft. Earlier, three officials had died when they rushed into the shaft to help with the rescue effort.
They were suffocated due to the high levels of gas, according to Bu Lianying, the colliery’s chief engineer.
“We initially judge the accident to be caused by the improper operations of on-duty workers. Temporary supporting measures were not fully implemented when miners were doing maintenance work,” Bu said.
By 3pm yesterday, rescue workers had cleared 33 meters of the 50-meter blocked shaft.
“The high gas density and huge amount of coal debris in the shaft affected our rescue work at the beginning,” said Hu Wenliang, head of a rescue team.
The Xingyu colliery, built in 1975, is licensed and has an approved annual capacity of 330,000 tons.
The colliery suspended production for an overhaul on December 12 and resumed operation on December 29 with government approval, Chen Zhilong, vice mayor of Dengfeng, said. An investigation into the tragedy has begun.
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