Twenty-four people were confirmed dead and 10 others
were?missing in a deadly coal mine accident early Monday in
north China's Shanxi Province.
Thirty-four miners were trapped when the accident occurred at
4:00 AM at the Nanshan Colliery in Wangyu Village of Lingshi
County, said Gong Anku, head of the provincial administration for
work safety.
Rescuers had found 24 dead bodies by midday and were continuing
to search for the other 10, he said.
A spokesman of the Lingshi county government said the accident
was caused by improper use of explosives that led to combustion in
the pit.
Gong said Nanshan Colliery was a village-run coal mine. The
safety watchdog is yet to find out if it holds a production
permit.
Also on Monday, the death toll in another deadly accident in
this coal-rich province climbed to 35, with 12 more missing in the
pit of the Jiaojiazhai Colliery in Xinzhou, where a gas blast
trapped 47 on Nov. 5
(Xinhua News Agency November 13, 2006)