The State Administration of Work Safety ordered an investigation into the blast, “adding that those responsible must be strictly punished.” Local officials in Chongqing also ordered the temporary shutdown of coal mines producing less than 90,000 tons a year, Xinhua said.Ĭhina’s mining industry has long been among the world’s deadliest. Ventilation systems are supposed to prevent gas from becoming trapped. Gas explosions inside mines are often caused when a flame or electrical spark ignites gas leaking from the coal seam. We are still working all-out to search for the 20 missing miners, and will exert our utmost as long as there’s still a ray of hope Xinhua reported that the 400 workers trying to rescue more miners were being hindered by debris blocking some of the mine’s passageways. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
