A faulty electrical cable has been blamed for the coalmine fire
that killed ten miners in north China's Hebei Province on Monday, according to initial
investigations conducted by the provincial work safety bureau.
Investigations also showed that the township mine continued to
operate after it was ordered to suspend production for safety
maintenance on December 26, 2005.
Sixty-three miners were working underground when the fire broke
out at 11:50 AM at Longxin Coal Mine in Hecun town, Handan city,
one of China's major coal production bases. By 9:30 PM, 52 miners
had been rescued, but one was still trapped in the mine.
Wang Shuhe, vice director of the State Administration of Coal Mine
Safety, has arrived at the mine to coordinate rescue efforts.
The rescuers are still struggling to reach the remaining trapped
miner. They said the fire has been put out, but carbon monoxide
levels in the tunnel were still high.
Local authorities have detained the mine owner and managers and
have frozen their bank accounts and assets, but have yet to charge
them.
(Xinhua News Agency October 17, 2006)