Death toll rises after big blast at coal mine

By Yang Lifei  |   2008-10-18  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

THE death toll from a mine blast in northwest China rose to 16 yesterday after rescuers found two more bodies.

Forty-six people were injured in the accident and 12 of them are in a serious condition in hospitals, Xinhua news agency reported

The blast happened at 6:15pm on Thursday at the Dafeng Coal Mine in Shizuishan City of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

Workers from the Guangdong Province-based Hongda Blasting Co were using more than two tons of dynamite to blast away rock in the mine at the time of the accident.

The explosion smashed through a 200-meter security perimeter and rocks flew as far as a kilometer.

The dead included six people working with the dynamite, five people passing the site in a vehicle and mine workers living in nearby sheds, according to the Shenhua Ningxia Coal Mining Group.

Last night rescue work was still underway to determine whether there were more casualties, Xinhua said.

Police have detained two people from Hongda Blasting Co for questioning.

Qi Tongsheng, vice chairman of the Ningxia regional government, arrived at the site to coordinate rescue efforts.

He ordered thorough checks in the 700-meter area around the accident site.

"The power company should quickly restore electricity supplies in the mine zone," he said. "The blasting company and mine company should pay medical expenses or compensation to the victims' families."

Hongda has first-class qualifications in blasting and demolition work and second-class qualifications in earthwork and stonework. The qualifications were issued by the Ministry of Construction, according to Xinhua.

China is urging local governments to speed up their coal-industry restructuring and put small collieries under strict administration in response to a spate of mine accidents since October 1, killing at least 43 miners.

Four central government organizations jointly issued a circular on Thursday saying the number of small collieries would be reduced to below 10,000 by 2010 to cut accidents and balance supply and demand, Xinhua reported.

The country now has 14,069 small coal mines. According to the circular, 2,510 of those mines will shut by the end of 2010, and 1,616 will undergo extensive reconstruction.