47 killed in Chinese coal mine
PTI
BEIJING, JUNE 21
An explosion in a coal mine in central China today killed 47 miners while 28 others were brought out to safety in yet another major mishap in the colliery sector notorious for accidents.
The blast occurred in coal mine when a pack of gunpowder kept underground detonated trapping 75 miners in Weidong district at around 1:40 am (local time) the State Administration of Work Safety said.
The official said 28 miners were brought out to safety while 47 were confirmed killed. The cause of the explosion is still unknown.
Preliminary investigations said that the mine with a production capacity of 98,000 tonnes was operating illegally and the mine owner Liu Jianguo was arrested, state media reported.
Of the 28 miners rescued six were reported to be in serious condition including one person who suffered more than 78 per cent burns.
China’s vast coal mining industry is notoriously accident prone, as officials and mining agencies indulge in over mining to meet the country’s growing energy needs.
As many as 2,632 miners were reported killed in the country, according to official figures. Just three months back, flooding in the coal mine in northern province of Shanxi left 153 people trapped, of which 115 were rescued.
