The death toll from a colliery gas explosion in southwest
China's Guizhou
Province on Sunday has risen to 15, local rescue officials said
on Monday.
There were 41 miners working in the Zhongxing Colliery in
Qinglong County when firedamp exploded, killing eight workers
instantly and injuring three. Seven were left trapped in the
mine.
Rescuers said on Monday afternoon that they failed to create a
clearing into the collapsed mine after over 20 hours of rescue
work.
The cause of the accident is still under investigation.
With a designed annual production capacity of 30,000 tons, it
was reported that the township-owned mine had carried out a
technology innovation project to increase the annual production to
60,000 tons.
(Xinhua News Agency October 25, 2005)