The families of the 33 miners killed in a coal mine gas
explosion in Yuxian County, north China's Shanxi
Province, have received compensation totaling 6.6 million yuan
(US$800,000), a local official said.
According to new provincial regulations, which came into force
on December 1, the families of miners killed at work must receive
no less than 200,000 yuan (US$24,164) each.
All families of the 33 victims in the accident were compensated
in accordance with this rule.
The explosion occurred at Daxian Coal Mine at 4:20 PM on
December 9. Thirty-three miners were killed and 38 escaped.
(Xinhua News Agency December 17, 2004)