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China coal mine blast toll rises to 25: report
Beijing (AFP) Jan 30, 2008 The death toll in a northern China coal mine explosion rose to 25, state media said Wednesday, five more than originally reported following the January 20 blast at the illegal colliery. Rescuers found four more bodies on Monday night, while the body of another miner had been "hidden," Xinhua news agency said without explanation. The blast occurred on January 20 as a group of miners illegally opened up the mine in Shanxi province in an effort to cash in on the rising price of coal, the report said. The gas explosion occurred before miners had started digging in the mine that had been previously shut down by government order, it said. Police have so far arrested one of the organisers of the illegal dig, while a group of others are still being sought. China is the world's largest producer and consumer of coal. Demand has continued to rise with the boom in the nation's economy. China's coal mines took nearly 3,800 lives in 2007, down 20 percent from the year before, the government and state press reported earlier this month. However, independent labour groups have long maintained that China's mining death toll is much higher than the government says, with local bosses and regional leaders covering up accidents to avoid fines and costly shut-downs. Related Links Surviving the Pits
Corruption fuels China mine disasters: minister
Beijing (AFP) Jan 22, 2008Corruption is a key factor in the frequency of horrific accidents in China's notoriously deadly coal mines, the country's top workplace safety official said Tuesday. |
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