Search continues for 10 workers trapped in coal mine
Oxygen is being pumped into the shaft outside Beijing
Rescuers were yesterday struggling to save 10 workers who have been trapped underground for two days in a coal mine outside Beijing.
The miners, mostly from Sichuan province , were caught when a tunnel collapsed at the state-run Daanshan coal mine in Fangshan district on Sunday morning, according to official media.
Xinhua quoted Li Jianwei , director of the Beijing production safety bureau, as saying oxygen was being pumped into the collapsed tunnel through two new shafts which were drilled overnight.
Mr Li said the oxygen could increase the chances of the miners being found alive, but admitted that no definite signs of life had been detected.
The Beijing municipal government has set up a special taskforce headed by Vice-Mayor Lu Hao to co-ordinate the rescue.
On Monday, Beijing Mayor Wang Qishan and Wang Xianzheng , head of the State Administration of Coal Mine Safety, inspected the site.
Li Wei , deputy secretary-general of the Beijing municipal government, said that rescue efforts had been hampered by the complex rock structure above the tunnel.
He said that while rescuers had apparently heard noises from the tunnel, they were not certain if the miners were alive.
Zhang Kesheng , chief engineer of Jingmei Group which runs the Daanshan mine, told the Beijing Times that the collapse might have been caused by over-production.
However, Xinhua yesterday said the cause of the accident was unclear and pointed out that the mine - which employs more than 2,000 workers - had a good safety record.
Coal mine accidents occur frequently on the mainland and many privately run operations have poor safety records.
Meanwhile, 34 workers at the Honghui No4 coal mine in Gansu province were more fortunate than their Daanshan colleagues.
Xinhua reported that they managed to escape yesterday after being trapped underground on Monday when a tunnel flooded. All were reportedly in good condition.
