|
A private coal mine in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province was flooded on Tuesday and 15 miners working in the shaft were trapped underground with their fate unknown.
The accident occurred at 11:30 pm on Tuesday at Xigou Coal Mine, of Huling Village in Hancheng of Shaanxi.
All the trapped miners were migrant workers from Central China's Hubei Province, local authorities said.
The local government mobilized a rescue team of more than 100 people, and by 6 pm yesterday, the rescuers were still busy installing water pumps.
The equipment was expected to be ready before midnight to allow rescuers to start pumping water from the shaft.
The cause of the accident is still under investigation and a team of officials from relevant departments of the provincial government of Shaanxi headed by Vice-Governor Gong Deshun were at the scene.
The provincial government also issued an urgent circular ordering all coal mines close to rivers and reservoirs or situated in watery areas to immediately carry out safety checks and necessary rectifications.
(Xinhua News Agency July 4, 2002)
|
