The death toll from a fire in a coal mine in northeast China's Jilin Province has risen to 30, according to local government sources.
All 29 miners trapped inside the Wanbao coal mine in Taonan city died after the fire started Friday morning.
The latest casualty was Zhang Min, a maintenace man at the entrance of the mine, who was on his way to the deputy head of the team to ask for leave. Gao Wanfu, the deputy head, was also among the victims.
The rescuers said machinery in a shaft caught fire at 9:40 a.m. An investigation into the cause of the blaze is still underway.
(Xinhua News Agency December 10, 2002)
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