Illegal practice blamed for SW China mine explosion

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-05-31 20:25

An injured miner is treated at the People's hospital of Qijiang county after a colliery gas burst at Tonghua Coal Mine here has killed 30 and injured 59 miners in southwest China's Chongqing municipality, on May 30, 2009. [Xinhua]

The explosion occurred around 11 a.m. at Tonghua Coal Mine in Anwen Town of Qijiang County, when 131 miners were working about 1,000 meters underground.

One hundred and one miners were rescued, and 77 of them were injured, as compared with 59 in previous reports, said Liu Guangcai, deputy director of Chongqing Work Safety Bureau, on Sunday.

They are being treated in four hospitals and an emergency treatment center. Three were critically ill and seven seriously.

Coal mine general manager Yi Zheng, chief engineer Chen Youming and Liu Qiang, project manager with Chuanjiu Construction Company, have been detained. Chuanjiu Construction Company built the mine.

You Mingyuan, deputy general manager with Songzao Coal and Electricity Company, and Peng Zhiqiang, board chairman of Chuanjiu Construction Company, have been suspended from their posts.

The Tonghua Coal Mine, with a history of more than 50 years, is affiliated with the state-owned Songzao Mining Bureau of Chongqing. The colliery's designed production capacity was 300,000 tonnes per year, but this was expanded to 600,000 tonnes.

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