Coal mine accident kills five, injures 24 in NW China
( 2003-11-12 14:49) (Xinhua)
Five miners died and 24 others were injured in a coal mine accident on Monday in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, local governmental sources announced on Wednesday.
Ten of the injured were in hospital with burns and six were described as in critical condition, said Li Shude, head of the Production Safety Administration, of Huangling County, where the accident occurred.
Li said the initial investigation showed the accident was possibly caused by burning gas or an explosion.
The provincial government and governments of Yan'an City and Huangling County have set up a working group to find the cause.
Li said the accident happened around 1 p.m. Monday at the Huajiazhuang Coal Mine, when 62 miners were working underground. Four miners died at the scene and one died in hospital, while 33 miners escaped uninjured.
Huangling County has 44 coal mines, three of which are run by the county government and the others are private mines. Eight mines have been ordered to close.
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