Gas explosion traps 139 coal miners in NE China

• Source: Global Times
• [11:56 November 21 2009]
• Comments

A gas explosion at a coal mine in Hegang City, in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, on Saturday morning trapped 139 miners, according to the provincial coal mine safety watchdog.

The company has confirmed that 528 miners were working under the mine, when the explosion occurred at around 2:30 a.m. Among them, 389 have escaped.

The source said that the coal mine is owned by the Heilongjiang Longmei Mining Holding Group. Rescuers are still searching for the trapped miners.

The mine is located over 400 km east of the provincial capital of Harbin.

Xinhua/agencies