Rescuers save 4 from flooded coal mine
Source: Xinhua |
December 8, 2012, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
FOUR miners who were trapped in a flooded coal mine for more than five days were rescued yesterday morning in northern China, rescuers said.
As of 10pm on Thursday, more than 4,000 cubic meters of water had been pumped out of the Furuixiang Coal Mine in Qitaihe City, Heilongjiang Province, and the water level in the mine had dropped about 20 meters, according to rescuers.
The four miners were found alive about 1:20am yesterday after two working platforms were connected. They were lifted out of the mine about 5:30am and were sent to Qitaihe City People's Hospital.
Meng Xianwen, deputy chief of the hospital, said the miners were doing well and able to talk.
"They have no obvious injuries, but they are a little dehydrated," said Meng, adding that they were being given fluids through an intravenous injection.
From a hospital ward, miner Bao Qingfeng recalled the harrowing events he and the others had experienced over the previous five days.
"I was working on that day when my colleague Wu Jie shouted, 'It's flooding. We are trapped,'" Bao said .
Without knowing what to do, Bao followed the instructions of the team leader and ran.
"There was floodwater everywhere in the shaft, and the water level kept rising," he said. "Luckily, it stopped as it neared our position."
To keep warm, the miners huddled together from time to time. They chatted with each other for encouragement and support over the following days and took turns sleeping on a nearby rock.
"We soon found the water level had gone down, and we heard a drilling sound from the surface, which gave us hope that we would survive," he said.
They knocked on the ceiling and pipelines in the shaft with spades and axes so rescuers could locate them.
After their helmet lights had run out of power, the shaft was pitch-black until two streams of light beamed in.
"I don't know how much time had passed, and on seeing the light, I was thrilled to tears because I knew we were saved," Bao said.
Rescuers are still searching for seven others who have been missing since the mine was flooded on Saturday.
A total of 22 miners were working underground when the accident occurred.
Six miners escaped, and another two were escorted out of the mine last Sunday.
Three miners have been confirmed dead.
As of 10pm on Thursday, more than 4,000 cubic meters of water had been pumped out of the Furuixiang Coal Mine in Qitaihe City, Heilongjiang Province, and the water level in the mine had dropped about 20 meters, according to rescuers.
The four miners were found alive about 1:20am yesterday after two working platforms were connected. They were lifted out of the mine about 5:30am and were sent to Qitaihe City People's Hospital.
Meng Xianwen, deputy chief of the hospital, said the miners were doing well and able to talk.
"They have no obvious injuries, but they are a little dehydrated," said Meng, adding that they were being given fluids through an intravenous injection.
From a hospital ward, miner Bao Qingfeng recalled the harrowing events he and the others had experienced over the previous five days.
"I was working on that day when my colleague Wu Jie shouted, 'It's flooding. We are trapped,'" Bao said .
Without knowing what to do, Bao followed the instructions of the team leader and ran.
"There was floodwater everywhere in the shaft, and the water level kept rising," he said. "Luckily, it stopped as it neared our position."
To keep warm, the miners huddled together from time to time. They chatted with each other for encouragement and support over the following days and took turns sleeping on a nearby rock.
"We soon found the water level had gone down, and we heard a drilling sound from the surface, which gave us hope that we would survive," he said.
They knocked on the ceiling and pipelines in the shaft with spades and axes so rescuers could locate them.
After their helmet lights had run out of power, the shaft was pitch-black until two streams of light beamed in.
"I don't know how much time had passed, and on seeing the light, I was thrilled to tears because I knew we were saved," Bao said.
Rescuers are still searching for seven others who have been missing since the mine was flooded on Saturday.
A total of 22 miners were working underground when the accident occurred.
Six miners escaped, and another two were escorted out of the mine last Sunday.
Three miners have been confirmed dead.
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