(Broadcast on June 26, 2002)
At noon on June 22, a mine-flooding accident occured at Shentang Coalmine in Shaoyang City in the central province of Hunan. Forty-three miners were working underground when the floods happened. Thirty-two of them escaped in time, 2 were found dead when they were recovered from the pit and 9, who have not been rescued, are still buried in the mine, which is filled with warm runoff. A villager in Shentang told CLB's chief co-ordinator on the phone that the prospects for the 9 miners buried were grim.
Villager:
They are still buried in the mine. Only two have been rescued. You know all these miners are actually farmers.
Han Dongfang (Han):
Did their families come for them?
Villager:
The families are gathering and waiting by the mine portal.
Han:
Is there still a slim chance of survival for the miners buried?
Village:
I dont think so. It is very unlikely that they are still alive!
An official of the Lianqian Town Government refused to say anything on the accident.
Official:
I am not sure about it [the whole situation at the coalmine].
Han:
How many miners have been rescued?
Official:
I dont really know.
Han:
Then how many miners are still buried in the mine?
Official:
I have no idea.
The vice-chairperson of the county trade union, Ms Mao, knew neither the number of miners working, nor if there was any trade union at the coalmine concerned. For compensatory arrangement, she also had no information.
Ms Mao:
We are figuring out things with them [the government] now.
Han:
So how is the situation at the moment?
Ms Mao:
2 miners found dead and 9 are still missing.
Han:
Is it a privately run coalmine?
Ms Mao:
Right, a private one.
Han:
Is there a trade union at the mine?
Ms Mao:
Hmm
well, I have no idea yet.
Han:
Then do you know how many miners were working for this coalmine?
Ms Mao:
Er
I dont have the precise number yet.
Han:
So is there any trade union at the coalmine?
Ms Mao:
Well
I havent asked yet.
Han:
Ok
then generally speaking, does the trade union provide the miners with some training programs about industrial safety?
Ms Mao:
Yeah, we do.
Han:
What kind of programs do you provide?
Ms Mao:
Hm
we joined them to do it.
Han:
With whom did you join?
Ms Mao:
With the labour authority.
Han:
So did the miners at Shentang Coalmine receive any training?
Ms Mao:
Well
not yet.
Han:
Why not?
Ms Mao:
Hmm
for this case, I am very sorry that I dont know much about it because it has been just passed to me lately.
Han:
Where were you transferred from?
Ms Mao:
From the Shaodong county committee of the Communist Youth League (CYL) .
Han:
Oh you mean you were the secretary of the CYL Committee?
Ms Mao:
Deputy secretary.
Han:
So do you have any idea of the compensation? What does the trade union think?
Ms Mao:
The county committee is trying to figure out the exact compensatory arrangements, but for the exact amount, we havent got any idea yet.
Han:
Will the trade union try to fight for more compensation for the miners?
Ms Mao:
Fighting for more compensation?
Han:
Right!
Ms Mao:
Well, we do speak for them (the workers). It is our responsibility.
A local resident who had visited the Shentang Coal Mine told China Labour Bulletin that the coalpit was very small and there were some places the miners couldnt stand upright. He said an inrush of water had filled the whole coalpit and it was very difficult to pump out the water .
Resident:
Eleven miners are dead.
Han:
Eleven dead?
Resident:
Right! Two recovered from the pit were found dead and 9 miners are still trapped underground.
Han:
But, the official announcement said there were only 2 deaths.
Resident:
Two only? Damn it! There are still some more underground, not rescued yet. But gone! They are probably all gone now!
Han:
You mean 2 recovered from the pit are dead but there are still 9 miners trapped underground?
Resident:
All gone. Maybe not even a single bone left. The pit was not pumped dry yet. Private coalmines like this one are very small and the flood water is even warm. The miners have been trapped for 4 days, 80 hours! No, 90 hours by now! Impossible [that the miners are still alive]!
Han:
That means those 9 miners
Resident:
Must be lifeless. You know I went there to have a look.
Han:
And is the coal pit really too small for the miners to stand?
Resident:
Those low places are and some taller places are not that bad. The reserves at this coalmine are not high; maybe 4 to 5 tonnes can be extracted from each pit. The mine would be abandoned once all the extractions are done. With the height of 1 to 2 meters underground, this kind of coalmines is forbidden to operate.
Han:
Is there any trade union at this mine?
Resident:
Of course not.
This resident also told us that the mine owner fled soon after the accident and the government arrested the man in charge of mines safety head and another person from the mine management.
Resident:
This mine was privately operated and the mine boss has fled.
Han:
Where did he go?
Resident:
Just fled away.
Han:
When did he flee away?
Resident:
At once he fled.
Han:
You mean he fled immediately after the accident?
Resident:
Exactly. The safety officer did not flee right away and he was arrested. A guy from the mine management has been caught as well.
Han:
And for the victims, how are the compensatory arrangements like in your district?
Resident:
Rmb 30,000 for each victim.
Han:
Who pays the compensation?
Resident:
The government, of course.
Han:
And after such an accident, do you think the government should also be held responsible for inadequate supervision of the mines?
Resident:
Well, the government did repeatedly state these small coalmines should be shut down. And what do you think? Isnt it obvious that if it [the government] had done a good job, such an accident wouldnt have happened?