Gas blast kills 10 in north China mine
11:40, 19 May 2010
YUXIAN, Shanxi. May 19. KAZINFORM At least 10 people are confirmed dead and one is missing after a coal mine gas explosion Tuesday in north China's Shanxi Province, a spokesperson for work safety authorities said Wednesday; Kazinform refers to China Daily.
The accident occurred at around 4:50 p.m. Tuesday when 41 miners were working in the shaft of Chentong Coal Industry Co., Ltd., in Yuxian County.
Twenty-seven people escaped from the scene unhurt and 14 were trapped underground, said Liu Xianyun, of the work safety committee of Yangquan City, which administers Yuxian county.
Three of the trapped had been rescued, while 10 were confirmed dead and one was still missing, Liu said at a press conference.
The company was licensed with an annual production capacity of 600,000 tonnes.
Rescue work is continuing, and work safety authorities are investigating the cause of the accident; Kazinform cites China Daily.