Rescue Continues in Flooded Coal Mine in Central China, Fate of 42 Miners Unknown
Posted on: Sunday, 4 December 2005, 09:00 CST
Rescue continues in flooded coal mine in central China, fate of 42 miners unknown
XIN'AN, Henan, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- More than 200 rescue workers were racing against the clock Saturday to pump out water in an attempt to reach 42 miners who have remained missing since a flood hit Sigou Coal Mine in Xin'an County, central China's Henan Province, late Friday night.
Water level underground was declining and the concentration of toxic gas was falling enormously as four water pumps were operating, Xinhua correspondent learned at the scene. Medical workers and ambulances are also on hand.
The latest tragedy of China's work safety took place in Sigou Coal Mine about 150 kilometer west to Zhengzhou City, the provincial capital, at about at 11:40 p.m. Friday when 76 miners were working underground.
A previous report said only 48 miners were working underground when the accident took place but an investigation by Xinhua correspondent showed the figure was underestimated.
Only 34 miners escaped the site of flooding inside the privately- run coal mine, sources from the on-the-spot rescue headquarters said.
A spokesman of Xin'an County government said the coal mine was privately owned and its managerial staffs, including the mine owner Jin Changsong, went into hiding shortly after the accident.
He said most of those missing miners were locals.
Shi Jichun, vice governor of the province, has arrived at the scene to give guidance in the rescue work. A special working team sent by the General Administration of Work Safety (GAWS) was on the way from Beijing to the coal mine.
Sigou Coal Mine is capable of producing 60,000 tons of coal annually. It has not obtained a license for work safety.
The cause of the coal mine flooding was unknown and further investigation was under way.
Source: Xinhua News Agency - CEIS
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