|
Probe into coal mine blast begins in earnest
By Ma Lie (China Daily)
Updated: 2004-12-05 22:55
The State Council's investigative group officially began its investigation
over the weekend into the cause of Chenjiashan Coal Mine gas blast.
![A body of one of the miners is carried out of the mine pit of the Chenjiashan coal mine in Shaanxi Province in the early hours of Wednesday. It has been confirmed all of the over 100 trapped underground in the explosion were dead, bringing the death toll in the accident to 166. [Xinhua]](xin_35120101144656218731.jpg)
A body of one of
the miners is carried out of the mine pit of the Chenjiashan coal mine in
Shaanxi Province in the early hours of Wednesday. It has been
confirmed all of the over 100 trapped underground in the explosion were
dead, bringing the death toll in the accident to 166.
[Xinhua] |
Zhao Tiechui, deputy director of the State Supervision and Administration for
Work Safety and head of the disaster's investigation group, said his group will
find out the cause behind the accident, its nature and the direct economic
losses. The group will also distinguish responsibility, propose precautionary
measures, and name persons responsible.
"It is the worst disaster in China's coal industry in 44 years, after the gas
explosion which killed 187 miners on November 28, 1960 in the Longshanmiao Coal
Mine of Pingdingshan, Central China's Henan Province," Zhao said at the group's
meeting on Friday.
The gas blast took place in the early morning of November 28,at the
Chenjiashan Coal Mine in Tongchuan, Shaanxi Province in Northwest China.
Over the past days, the investigation group guided the rescue work, and has
consulted some information and materials regarding the mine's design and
production and safety plans, Zhao said.
At present, 35 bodies have been sent out from the underground tunnel, but
searching for other dead miners had to be stopped because of four new gas blasts
underground on December 2, said Huo Shichang, spokesman for the disaster rescue
headquarters.
"Fortunately, the blasts did not harm any of the 61 rescuers underground, but
again destroyed the just-recovered ventilation system," Huo said at a news
briefing on Friday.
Zhang Tiegang, an expert from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, who headed
the accident group, said at the briefing that the four blasts were caused by
flames underground and the best way for rescue work is to pour water into the
tunnel.
"In this way, we can put out the fire safely, and can also protect the bodies
of the dead miners underground. In order to avoid new injuries and deaths, the
searching rescuers should not go into the tunnel again before the fire is put
out," Zhang said.
He said the process of water pouring would take 10 days or more, and the
water which easily puts out the fire and dilutes gas density will be drained
away soon.
| |
 |
|
|
|
|
Today's
Top News |
|
|
|
Top China
News |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
