Gas explosions in three coal mines have killed at least 77 miners, raising more concerns about increasing coal mine accidents as winter comes.

The first explosion took place in the privately owned Yuanhua mine in Jixi, Heilongjiang province on 25 November, claiming at least 21 lives and leaving six others missing. Xinhua News Agency reported that the accident was caused by the mine operator's attempt to flush gas from the pit after a power outage, which violated safety procedures. Forty miners were working underground when the explosion occurred. Speaking at a work meeting at the accident site, Liu Haisheng, vice governor of Heilongjiang, announced that Yuanhua coal mine would be closed permanently and he vowed to close all illegal coal mines across the province.

Later on the same day, the second blast occurred at another privately owned Changyuan coal mine in Fuyuan, Yunnan province, killing 32 men and injuring 28 others. The mine has been operating illegally for two years and had previously been told to stop operating. It was unclear how many miners were working underground when the accident occurred.

On 26 November, 24 miners were confirmed dead in a gas explosion at Luweitan Colliery in Linfeng in the coal-rich Shanxi province. Police have detained the mine owner but the general manager is on the run, Xinhua said.

A total of 3,726 miners died in more than 2,300 floods, blasts and other accidents in the coal mine industry in the first months of this year, according to figures released by the State Administration of Work Safety earlier this month.

Government statistics puts the number of coal mine deaths at about 6,000 last year, but the real figures should be much higher due to cover-up of accidents by local officials and mine owners.

Source: Xinhua News Agency (26 November 2006, 27 November 2006)

27 November 2006