A total of 53 miners were killed in three separate coal mine accidents last week.

The first mine blast occurred on 29 April at the Wayaobao Township Coal Mine in Zichang County, Yan'an City, when a total of 39 miners were working underground. Only seven miners managed to escape. Rescuers had found the bodies of the other 32 miners.

In another accident, gas deflagration happened at a coal pit near Titian Village of Dongfeng Township in northwestern Guizhou, on the evening of 2 May. All the 14 miners working in the mine, which was 200 metres underground, were killed by toxic gas.

Rescue workers have confirmed altogether 14 miners were killed in a coal pit gas deflagration in mountainous Weining County, southwest China's Guizhou Province. Official reports said the coal pit only had a single shaft without any ventilation facility. The mine did not obtain a permit for coal production. The gas deflagration occurred when the gas accumulated in the shaft met with a spark of fire.
 
Most of the killed were locals. The two owners of the illegal coal pit have fled and the police have been hunting them down.

In the third accident, seven miners were killed in a coal mine blast in Henan Province. Some 36 miners were working underground when the explosion occurred on 5 May at the Shangjiuwu Coal Mine in Pingdingshan City, a coal industrial base in central China.

After the blast, 28 people managed to escape. Seven workers were found dead and one is missing, according to Xinhua.

Sources: Xinhua News Agency (2 May 2006, 3 May 2006, 6 May 2006)

8 May 2006