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North China's Hebei Province to Overhaul Coal Mine Safety After Accidents

Posted on: Monday, 12 December 2005, 09:00 CST

Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency)

Shijiazhuang, 11 December: North China's Hebei province will start a general overhaul of coal mining safety, as frequent fatal accidents hit the province over the past month.

The overhaul will be carried out in two phases, starting from 12 December to 29 January 2006 to 16 March of next year, said deputy governor Guo Gengmao of the province at an urgent meeting on Sunday [11 December].

A special task force was set up at the meeting to carry out the overhaul mission, he said.

Guo ordered local officials to severely crack down on the illegal productions of coal mines and safeguard people's lives and properties, in a bid to ensure a harmonious atmosphere across the province.

Four major coal mine accidents occurred in succession from 6 November to 7 December in the province.

At 7:40 p.m. [all local times, 1140 gmt] on 6 November a gypsum mine collapsed in Shangwang village of Huining township in Xingtai county, damaging two other gypsum mines nearby, toppling a two- story building and leaving cracks on the ground. The mishap left 33 dead, in addition to four missing.

A flood that occurred at 5:00 a.m. on 19 November in Yuanda Coal Mine in Xingtai city trapped and killed 14 miners underground.

Another flooding accident occurred on 24 November at Gaocun colliery in Shangtuancheng village in Wuan of Handan city, leaving 18 miners dead.

The latest deadly gas blast went off at 3:30 p.m. on 7 December at the Liuguantun Coalmine in Kaiping District of Tangshan city. So far, 91 miners have been killed and 17 others are missing.

Source: BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific

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