Five miners died and four are missing after a colliery gas blast
in central China's Hunan Province on Thursday.
The explosion occurred at about 10:00?AM at Lianyi Coal
Mine in Lianyuan City when 20 miners were working underground, said
Xie Guangxiang, director of the provincial work safety bureau.
Nine managed to escape and two were rescued, he said.
Production has been stopped at the pit.
Initial investigations showed the mine owner brought in the
miners to repair tunnels without measuring the gas density and
their electric tools triggered the explosion.
Rescue crews are planning alternative ways to reach the missing
miners as the collapsed tunnels have hindered rescue efforts, said
Xie.
The owner of the mine, which has an annual production capacity
of 10,000 tons, disappeared after the blast.
(Xinhua News Agency September 1, 2006)