Mine blast kills 17 in northern China, 19 survivors struggle for life

At least 17 people have lost their lives in a coal mine in northern China after an explosion trapped them underground, officials say.

China's official Xinhua news agency, citing anonymous local authorities, reported that the deadly blast occurred at a colliery run by Baoma Mining Co. Ltd., located in the vicinity of Chifeng city, in the country’s autonomous region of Inner Mongolia on Saturday.

It further said the huge explosion, whose cause still remains unknown, ripped through the mine and trapped 36 miners in the pit, adding that rescue operations were underway to reach the 19 survivors of the deadly incident.

According to another report published by China News Service, at least 100 of the miners managed to escape before the colliery collapsed by the midday blast.

The deadly incident came just a day after authorities in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang confirmed the death of 21 miners, who had been trapped at a private mine in Qitaihe city since November 29.

China is the world's largest producer and consumer of coal, yet mine accidents are common in the country in spite of efforts to improve safety for workers. Beijing is struggling to pass strict safety regulations in the mining sector.

On Friday, Song Yuanming, the deputy director of the State Administration of Coal Mine Safety, warned that collieries should not operate beyond capacity and their managers should not call for miners’ overtime work, otherwise mines would become prone to accidents.

Song also ordered the mining industry to carry out a safety overhaul to prevent tragic accidents such as the one that claimed the lives of 33 miners in a gas explosion at the privately-owned Jinshangou coal mine in the southwestern municipality of Chongqing in November.

In September, at least 18 miners lost their lives in a mine explosion in the northwestern region of Ningxia.

In January, four miners were rescued from a collapsed gypsum mine in Shandong province after 36 days of being trapped underground. The mine's owner took his own life shortly after the accident.

According to official figures, the annual death from mine accidents has fallen significantly in the past decade to fewer than 1,000 a year. However, some rights groups cast doubts on the stats, saying the actual figures are quite higher.

Authorities are further concerned over miners’ safety as the country is mounting its coal production to meet winter demand.

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