(Shanghai Daily)
Updated: 2007-08-15 09:07

The rescuers who helped save the lives of the 69 trapped miners in a flooded coal mine in central China's Henan Province have been rewarded for their efforts.

Yima Mine Group, the owner of two coal mines near the flooded Zhijian coal mine in Shanxian County, was given two million yuan (US$263,900) for stopping its mine operations to join the 76-hour rescue effort, according to a joint statement released by the provincial government and the State Administration of Work Safety at a ceremony held at Henan's People's Hall yesterday morning.

The company also received a "Heroic Team" award and National Labor Medal, the country's top prize for workers. Yima closed its mines and dispatched 360 people to the rescue operation every day, Henan Commercial News reported yesterday, adding that the company's loss for the shutdown may amount to millions of yuan.

The General Team of the Armed Police Force of Henan received 800,000 yuan for its work in the rescue while the provincial fire control center were offered 200,000 yuan, the report said.

The officers struggled to prevent water from entering the shaft, cleared away silt and provided ventilation and oxygen to the trapped miners.

Cao Baicheng, the deputy team head of Zhijian Colliery who was among the trapped victims and the last one lifted to safety in the accident, was awarded the title "Rescue Hero" with seven other workers at the mine.

Cao was praised for holding a 200-meter-long and seven-centimeter-wide pipe from dropping into the water as other trapped miners were being lifted to safety.

The pipe was crucial to the miners, giving them air to breathe. Rescuers later pumped milk, the only source of food during the ordeal, through the pipe to keep the victims alive.

Cao said he would bring the award home to encourage his 12-year-old daughter.

Lan Jianning, the first to emerge from the shaft, and another nine miners were awarded Youth Medals for their bravery and intelligence - their information may have shaved almost four hours off the rescue time.

Lan waded through about 200 meters of water and then swam about 100 meters before crawling toward the exit of the shaft to search for a way out.