Toll reaches 28 in China coal mine gas leak
November 12th, 2011 - 10:30 pm ICT by IANSBeijing, Nov 12 (IANS) At least 28 miners were confirmed dead in a coal mine gas leak accident in southwest China’s Yunnan province, Xinhua quoted rescue headquarters as stating Saturday noon.
At least 28 bodies had been found by Saturday evening, two days after the accident, and 15 miners were still trapped underground at Sizhuang Coal Mine, located in Shizong county near Qujing city.
According to a statement from the provincial coal safety supervision bureau, the mine was operating illegally, having had its licence revoked a year ago. It had been ordered to stop production in April.
Six rescue teams were taking turns to search for the trapped miners.
Preliminary investigations showed that the gas leak occurred at a platform inside the shaft but gas later spread to another platform, trapping 43 miners in the two areas.
The families of 17 victims have received 10,000 yuan (over $1,500) for funeral expnses. Each of the dead miner’s families will get compensation of 660,000 yuan (over $100,000), the rescue headquarters said.
Hundreds of rescuers are engaged in searching for the trapped miners.
About 240 tonnes of coal dust was cleared out and a 250-metre-long section of the mine tunnel had been cleared till Saturday.
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Tags: beijing, china coal mine, coal dust, coal mine gas, gas leak, investigations, rescuers, safety supervision, saturday evening, shaft, southwest china, tonnes, trapped miners, two areas, xinhua, yuan, yunnan province