10 dead in NE China colliery flood

Miners carry pipes for a rescue mission in a flooded coal mine in Hegang, in Northeast China’s Heilongjiang province, on Thursday. [Photo/Xinhua]

HEGANG, Heilongjiang - Ten people have been confirmed dead as the result of a coal mine flood in northeast China's Heilongjiang province, as one body was retrieved early Friday morning, the local emergency rescue headquarters said.

Meanwhile, efforts to rescue another four trapped miners are ongoing.

An initial investigation showed that water from an abandoned mined-out area above the mining platform, where the accident occurred, was to blame for the tragedy.

The accident happened at 7 am Wednesday in a shaft of the Junyuan No. 2 Coal Mine in Xing'an district of the resource-rich city of Hegang when 28 miners were working in the pit. Fourteen of the miners managed to escape or have been rescued, an official with the local safety administration said.

The coal mine is licensed, according to the Hegang city government.