No survival chance for 19 trapped in China mine fire

HARBIN - The 19 miners trapped in a coal mine following an explosion in northeast China have no chance of survival due to excessive levels of poisonous gases and high temperatures, the rescue team said Friday.

An explosion occurred at Xiangyang Coal Mine in Hegang City, Heilongjiang Province, at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, causing a fire to break out.

Thirty-three of the 52 miners managed to escape. Nineteen others were trapped. Smoke was still emitting from the mouth of the mine on Friday.

Excessive levels of poisonous gases and sustained high temperatures in the mine have made it extremely difficult to attempt a rescue mission, according to the expert panel.

There is no possibility of survival for the trapped miners, the panel agreed.

Safety experts have proposed that the mouth of the mine be sealed off so that inert gases can be pumped into the shaft to quench the flames, according to the rescue headquarters.

The temperature at the mouth of the ventilation shaft was 55 degrees Celsius according to monitoring data on Thursday. Technicians at the site believe the temperature at the heart of the blaze could reach 1,000 degrees Celsius.