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At Least 34 Dead In China Mine Blast
Beijing (AFP) Oct 03, 2005 At least 34 miners were killed in a gas explosion at a coal mine in China's central province of Henan Monday, local officials and state media reported, in yet another disaster to blight the beleaguered industry. The blast occurred around dawn in a pit belonging to the Henan Hebi Coal company, a large state-run enterprise in the north of the province. So far, 34 bodies have been found, an official at the company told AFP. "It was an explosion, 34 people were killed. Investigations are going on," said the official who refused to give his name. He declined to say if any miners were missing or injured. Much of China shuts down during the current National Day holiday week. But the unrelenting demand for coal to drive the country's booming economy and rapid industrialization forces many mines to remain open, around the clock. The voracious demand for coal has made Chinese mines the world's deadliest, with safety often sacrificed for profit. In recent years Beijing has tried various measures to improve mine safety but they have all been largely ineffective, with figures showing around 6,000 miners die every year through accidents often linked to poor safety measures. Independent estimates say the real figure could be far higher. However, the Henan Hebi Coal company official insisted the mine where the blast took place Monday was "up to standard". Senior provincial government officials rushed to the scene to oversee the investigation into the accident, Xinhua news agency said. The company is registered as a large state-run enterprise with assets worth 4.6 billion yuan (567 million dollars) in 2004. It runs eight major mines with annual production at over seven million tons. Revenues from coal products last year totalled 1.7 billion yuan. While many of China's biggest mines are state-run, there are growing numbers of illegal private operations, often with poor or non-existent safety standards. Following a spate of serious mine accidents, China in August ordered 7,000 coal mines to suspend operations by the end of the year. However, it was not clear how authorities could adequately enforce these rules as many profit-driven mines reopen soon after being shut down, with local officials bribed to turn a blind eye. Critics, labor rights groups and miners have said the only way for the death toll to drop is to give workers rights, such as the right to insist on more safety and on collective bargaining which China bans. China relies on coal for two thirds of its energy needs and is not expected to shift significantly to other fuel sources for years to come. Official figures indicate that China has about 24,000 coal mines, but because of the transient nature of mining employment no official statistics on the number of workers are available. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links SpaceDaily Search SpaceDaily Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express China News from SinoDaily.com
China Wants To Expand Sino-US Military Relations
Beijing (AFP) Jan 10, 2006China is ready to expand its military relations with the United States, Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan said on Tuesday. |
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