20 killed, 17 trapped in China mine blast,coal mine in Henan province

Twenty mine workers were killed and 17 trapped in a deadly explosion just after 6 a.m. in a coal mine in Henan province in the central region of China. The blast, which happened shortly after the world’s attention was focused on the dramatic rescue of 33 mine workers in Chile, occurred in a pit owned by Pingyu Coal & Electric Co., Ltd., according to state run news agency Xinhua. Last year more than 2,600 people died in mining accidents in China, where the mining industry is the most dangerous in the world.

An official with the state work safety administration said it is not clear how far underground the trapped workers are, and he had not details on what caused the explosion. One of China’s deadliest mine accidents happened in Henan province in October 2004 when a gas explosion in the Daping mine killed 148 people.

Earlier this year China executed a mine rescue operation similar to Chile’s, although the miners were only trapped for a little over one week. 115 miners, who were extracted from a flooded mine in the northern province of Shanxi, survived by eating tree bark, paper, sawdust and even coal. Some miners used their belts to tie themselves to the walls so that they would not drown while sleeping.

Advertisement: Valentine Day Shopping, Jewellery and Clothes of First Ladies,  Lifestyle of the First Ladies,  Save 50.0% on select products from VANLAMS with promo code 50EAYVTV, through 1/31 while supplies last.

(source:seerpress.com)