Rescuers lifted another three of the eight trapped miners onto
ground Monday night after Saturday's iron mine collapse in east
China's Anhui Province, saying they were struggling to
pull a fifth miner whose legs were stuck by rocks.
However, the remaining three had been confirmed dead in the
mine, said Cheng Chuanru, director of the Anhui Provincial
Administration for Work Safety.
There were difficulties to pull the fifth miner out, rescuers at
the site said.
Four miners, including a female, had been pulled out alive
fromthe collapsed shaft and were rushed to the Anqing City
Hospital.
The first survivor, Hu Dexiang, was saved at 5:41?PM Monday
after being trapped in the Dalongshan Iron Mine in the city of
Anqing for more than 60 hours. He was then sent to the local
hospital.
Hu regained consciousness and could speak, doctors said. Hu
asked for a meal but doctors gave him only milk for drink as he was
very weak.
Eight miners were trapped underground at a depth of 130 meters
after the mine in the Dalongshan Township collapsed at 4:50?AM
Saturday. Dust and water capped the ventilation hole and the exit
after the tragedy, making it impossible for the miners to
escape.
More than 1,000 rescuers have participated in the rescue
operation over the past few days.
The Dalongshan Iron Mine was founded in 1992 as a township-run
company but was privatized in 1999. It employs 15 people and
produces 15,000 tons of iron ore a year.
In the wake of the tragedy, the city government of Anqing
ordered all local mines to halt production for a safety
overhaul.
(Xinhua News Agency May 16, 2006)