Latest check results show that the number of trapped miners in a
coal mine flooding in north China's Shanxi Province might rise to 57, the previous
figure was 44, rescuers said Sunday afternoon.
A check team of the rescue headquarters said the number of
miners trapped underground is probably 57, after they have made an
investigation among the miners' families.
The flooding took place at 8:30?PM Thursday at Xinjing Coal
Mine, a legal township coal producing entity in Zuoyun County,
northern Shanxi. The mine has an annual production capacity of
90,000 tons.
Rescuers had said earlier that 145 miners were working
underground when the flooding accident took place and 101 managed
to escape.
But local safety officials had tried to cover up the accident by
saying that only five miners were trapped in the flooding.
The check team is now still working to get an exact number of
the miners trapped in the coal mine by thoroughly checking with
miners' families.
More pumping facilities have been used to speed up pumping water
from the flooded pit, hoping to increase the chance of survival for
the trapped miners.
Police have detained some of the managerial personnel of the
mine. Investigation into the cause of the accident is also
underway.
(Xinhua News Agency May 22, 2006)