Society

Four dead, rescue continues at flooded NW China coal mine

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-07-21 13:35

JINTA, Gansu - The death toll from a flooded coal mine in northwest China's Gansu Province has risen to four after rescuers recovered two more bodies late Tuesday.

Nine miners were still trapped at the Jijitaizi Coal Mine, in Jinta County of Jiuquan City, said Hu Zhihong, a spokesman of Jinta County Government.

The two victims were Li Caisheng, 20, and Li Yuqing, 48, both from Gansu's Gulang County, Hu said.

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The flooding occurred at 11:30 am Sunday when 16 miners were working underground. Three managed to escape and 13 were trapped.

The first two bodies were recovered late Monday.

Hu said rescuers were still pumping water out of the flooded shaft, and the work was expected to be completed Wednesday.

In neighboring Shaanxi Province, four officials were sacked after a coal mine fire on Saturday killed 28 at Xiaonangou coal mine, in Sangshuping Township of Hancheng City.

Chief engineer Song Shaomin, deputy chief engineer Zhang Shengwei of Hancheng City Coal Bureau, and two other department heads in charge of coal mine safety and production were dismissed, said a spokesman of Hancheng City Government.

The mine's electro-mechanical manager, Xia Xueguo, 38, died in the fire.

Five coal mine accidents from Saturday to Monday in the provinces of Henan, Shaanxi, Hunan, Gansu and Liaoning, have left at least 46 people dead.