Two industrial accidents at the weekend killed two, injured one and left seven trapped underground.
A local government official told Xinhua News Agency that a colliery flooding at Xigou Coal Mine in Xin'an County in the central province of Henan occurred at about 8 AM on Sunday.
Seven miners were trapped in the accident and their condition remains unknown.
The fully-licensed coal mine was being renovated, said the official, adding that provincial government officials have gone to the site to help rescue work.
Investigations into the cause have been initiated.
On Saturday, a factory fire killed two workers and injured another in Shizuishan City in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.
The accident took place at around 9 AM in a zinc-producing factory run by locally-based Yumin Industries Development Company.
Company sources said a bang was heard immediately before the fire started and the three victims were found seriously burnt.
Two male workers were killed; one on his way to hospital and the other whilst receiving medical treatment. One female worker was hospitalized.
Local firefighters said it was a small fire that took them only three minutes to extinguish.
The number of people working in the factory at the time of the incident is unknown and the fire's cause is under investigation.
(Xinhua News Agency July 18, 2005)
