Coal mine blast claims 107 lives
- Source: Global Times
- [18:04 November 25 2009]
- Comments
A rescuer works at the Xinxing Coal Mine in Hegang of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province on Nov. 25, 2009.(Xinhua/Wang Song)
By 11am Wednesday, families of 48 miners who died in the coal mine blast in Hegang, Heilongjiang Province on the weekend have settled compensation with the State-owned Longmei Mining Group, the owner of the Xinxing Coal Mine.
The coal mine blast was caused by that bulk gas entered the air supply system of the mine and a spark led to the explosion, according to the safety production committee of the Sate Council today. There were no details on where the spark originated from.
The death toll from the coal mine blast in Hegang, Heilongjiang Province in northeast China rose to 107, with three more bodies retrieved Wednesday morning, said local authorities.
Rescuers are still trying to search the other one trapped miner.
The explosion occurred at around 2:30 am at the Xinxing Coal Mine, owned by State-owned Heilongjiang Longmei Mining Holding Group's subsidiary in Hegang, the Xinhua News Agency reported Sunday. Of the 528 miners who were working in the pit when the blast occurred, 420 managed to escape.
Longmei Mining Group is a key State-owned mining company with an annual output of 56 million tons of coal. It ranks 12th among China's top 100 mining companies and seventh out of the top 50 in terms of coal output, according to its official website.
The Xinxing coal mine has been operating for 84 years, with an annual production capacity of 1.45 million tons.
