China coal mine blasts kill 59 — report | Inquirer News

China coal mine blasts kill 59 — report

/ 07:25 AM December 04, 2016

This photo taken on October 31, 2016 shows a rescuer waiting at the pithead of Jinshangou Coal Mine in Yongchuan District of Chongqing. All 33 miners missing after a colliery explosion in China earlier this week have been confirmed dead, state media reported on November 2, in the country's latest mining accident. / AFP PHOTO / STRINGER / China OUT

This photo taken on October 31, 2016, shows a rescuer waiting at the pithead of Jinshangou Coal Mine in Yongchuan District of Chongqing. All 33 miners missing after a colliery explosion in China earlier this week have been confirmed dead, state media reported on November 2. Another explosion on Saturday, Dec. 3, reportedly killed 59 miners in a coal mine in Chifeng, Inner Mongolia. AFP FILE

BEIJING, China — At least 59 people have been killed in two separate Chinese coal mine blasts, according to death tolls reported by state media.

An explosion Saturday at a colliery in the northern Inner Mongolia region killed 32, Xinhua news agency said.

Article continues after this advertisement

A total of 181 people were working underground when the gas explosion struck the mine in the city of Chifeng, with 149 managing to escape.

FEATURED STORIES

In a separate incident, a blast occurred late Tuesday at a private mine in Qitaihe City, in northeast Heilongjiang province, trapping 22 workers, Xinhua said.

Twenty-one were confirmed dead Friday night, it said, citing provincial authorities.

Article continues after this advertisement

Rescue efforts were hampered by debris from the blast in some of the tunnels, according to an earlier report.

Article continues after this advertisement

China is the world’s largest coal producer and deadly accidents are common.

Article continues after this advertisement

A further 33 miners were killed in a colliery explosion on October 31 in the southwestern municipality of Chongqing, and in September at least 18 were killed in a mine blast in the northwestern Ningxia region.

Officials say the number dying annually in the country’s mines has fallen substantially in the past decade, to fewer than 1,000 a year.

Article continues after this advertisement

But some rights groups argue the actual figures are significantly higher due to under-reporting in a sector with poor oversight. CBB

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

TAGS: China, coal mine, mine accident, News

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

© Copyright 1997-2024 INQUIRER.net | All Rights Reserved

This is an information message

We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more here.