Death toll in NE China colliery fire rises to 12

HARBIN - The death toll in a colliery fire that occurred on September 22 in Northeast China's Heilongjiang province has risen to 12, as rescuers found one more body from the razed-down mine shaft debris on Wednesday.

Rescuers accompany relief materials down a coal mine where six miners were trapped underground in a flooding accident in Jidong county, Heilongjiang province, on Sept 23, 2012. XIAO JINBIAO / FOR CHINA DAILY

The rescue headquarters said the rescue efforts have been hampered by falling ceilings and dense concentration of inflammable gas in the shaft.

Investigators said there were 14 miners working in the pit when the fire broke out at 11 am in the No 10 pit of Longshan Coal Mine in Shuangyashan city. Only two of them escaped the accident.

Previous reports said there were 13 miners working at the time of the accident and 11 of them were trapped. Investigators said they have found there was another worker who entered the pit without leaving his access record.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation.