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| Deadly mine blast traps dozens in China |
| 21 November 2009 | 10:50 | Source: BBC |
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BEIJING --
A gas blast at a coal mine in China has killed 31 people and left 82 trapped, state media reports. Xinhua said that 528 workers were in the mine in Heilongjiang province at the time of the blast and that rescuers were searching for those trapped. Up to 400 other miners reportedly managed to escape the mine, in the region bordering Russia. China's coal mines are notoriously dangerous despite tighter government regulations aimed at upgrading safety. Last year alone, more than 3,000 people were killed in mining accidents. Most of the workers managed to escape the pit, which is reportedly operated by the state-owned Heilongjiang Longmei Mining Holding Group. But 31 workers were killed and another 82 were still trapped about a third of a mile (500m) underground, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. Most mining accidents in China are blamed on a failure to follow safety guidelines, often in an attempt to cut costs and meet an increasing demand for fuel. The BBC's Michael Bristow in Beijing says the Chinese authorities have been trying to deal with the dangers by closing smaller mining operations and forcing local authorities to regulate the industry. Beijing says safety is improving, and the high official death toll in 2008 marked a fall of 15 percent compared with the previous year. But despite the measures, accidents still happen with surprising regularity, says our correspondent. In February, more than 70 workers were killed in an explosion at a mine in Shanxi province.
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