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Death toll rises to 30 in Chongqing mine accident

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-05-31 07:35

CHONGQING -- Death toll rose to 30 after five more bodies were recovered in a colliery gas burst Saturday in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, according to local coal mine safety authorities.

A rescuer emerges from an underground rescue operation after a gas leak at the Tonghua Coal Mine in Anwen Town of Qijiang County, Chongqing Municipality, China, May 30, 2009. The death toll has risen to 30. [Xinhua]

Related readings:  Colliery gas burst accident kills 25 in Chongqing  10 missing in SW China colliery gas blast  Colliery blast kills 18 in Hunan  48 coal mine inspectors to resign  10 killed in SW China coal mine gas blast  Coal mine blast kills ten in SW China

The accident happened around 11 a.m. at Tonghua Coal Mine in Anwen Town of Qijiang County, when 131 miners were working underground. One hundred and one miners were rescued.

Of the rescued, 59 miners were injured, including four in serious condition.

The cause of the accident is being investigated.

The Tonghua Coal Mine, with a history of more than 50 years, is affiliated to the state-owned Songzao Mining Bureau of Chongqing. The colliery's designed production capacity is 300,000 tonnes per year, which now has been expanded to 600,000 tonnes.

Scene of the accident. [Xinhua]