30 killed in explosion at Chongqing colliery
- Source: The Global Times
- [01:06 May 31 2009]
- Comments
By Li Xiaoshu
A coal miner rescued from the Tonghua mine is taken to hospital yesterday. Photo: CFP
Thirty people, including a mining official, have been confirmed dead following a gas outburst yesterday at a colliery in Chongqing Municipality, local authorities said yesterday.
The incident happened at about 11 am at the Tonghua Coal Mine in Anwen, Qijiang county, while 131 miners were working underground, an official surnamed Zhang from the Chongqing Coal Mine Safety Bureau, told the Global Times. As of 9 pm yesterday, 30 people had been confirmed dead and 59 had been injured, he said.
Four of the injured were in a critical condition, he said.
Among the fatalities was Ran Jingpei, an official with the Chongqing Songzao Coal Mining Bureau.
The rescue effort was ongoing and an investigation had been launched into the cause of the blast, he said.
Twelve of the people rescued are being treated at the staff hospital of the Chongqing Songzao Coal Mining Bureau, an employee surnamed Lu told the Global Times, while the head of the intensive care unit at the Chongqing People’s Hospital in Qijiang said one man was still in a critical condition.
The press office of the State-owned Songzao Mining Bureau of Chongqing, which owns the mine, refused to comment yesterday.
Wang Anna also contributed to this story