(China5e, Sep 04, 2006) Fifteen miners died and five others were hospitalized in two coal mine accidents in central China, local work safety sources said on Sunday. 

A flooding happened at around 4:30 a.m. Sunday in the Zhenxing Coal Mine in Daye City of central China's Hubei Province, when 10 miners were working underground, said the Huangshi City Work Safety Bureau. 

Three miners managed to escape by themselves and another one was rescued by emergency workers, said the bureau. But six others died in the accident. 

Bodies of the six dead have been found, said the bureau, adding that investigation into the cause of the flooding is underway. 

In neighboring Hunan Province, four more bodies in a coal mine gas explosion have been found on Sunday, making the death toll rise to nine in the blast, said the provincial work safety administration. 

The explosion occurred at about 10:00 a.m. Thursday at Lianyi Coal Mine in Lianyuan City when 20 miners were working underground. 

Nine workers managed to escape and two others were rescued, said the administration. 

Five among the 11 survivors are still receiving treatment in hospital, it said. 

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. The owner of the mine had run away.
Source:China5e
tag:China energy coal