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56 killed, 92 stranded in coal mine blast
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-10-21 14:27
Ninety-two miners are still stranded underground in the gas blast accident in
Daping coal mine in central China's Henan province, according to local sources.
Two rescuers carry
the body of a dead miner out of the mine pit in Xinmi, Central China's
Henan Province October 21, 2004. [Xinhua]
Ambulances arrive
at the coal mine for the rescue operation October 21, 2004.
[Xinhua] | Their conditions are still unknown,
said a rescuer at the site. However, Deputy director of the State Administration
of Work Safety Sun Huashan said that according to experiences in past coal mine
disasters, the hope for those missing miners to come out alive is very weak.
The accident happened at 22:10 Wednesday. The gas monitoring system of the
mine shows that from 22:09, the gas density increased from 1.49 percent to 40
percent in two minutes 27 seconds and expanded to the whole mine soon.
A total of 446 miners were at work underground when the accident occurred,
and 298 miners escaped. So far, 56 miners have been confirmed dead. The 20
injured miners, including 4 severely injured ones, have been sent to the General
Hospital of the Zhengzhou Coal Industry Group. But detailed casualty is
unavailable so far.
A team of rescuers
rushes to the coal mine to join the rescue operation to save those trapped
underground October 21, 2004. [Xinhua] | At the
office building of the Daping Mine, bodies of victims were covered with green
canvas and waiting for recognition. More than 20 people holding roster were
checking names of them.
The local government has sent more than 1,000 rescue workers to the site
right after the accident. At the site, the rescue work is still going on.
Located under the Songshan Mountain 40 kilometers to the southwest of
Zhengzhou city, the state-owned mine has 4,100 employees now. Put into operation
in 1986, the mine now has an annual production capacity of 1.3 million tons.
Miners wait outside the Daping Coal Mine for
news about the fate of their coworkers trapped underground October 21,
2004. [newsphoto] |
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