17 trapped in Heilongjiang coal mine accidents

Two coal mine accidents have trapped 17 people underground in northeast Heilongjiang province, state media said.

The official Xinhua News Agency says a fire broke out on Sunday in a mine, trapping 11. Two other people working in the mine were lifted out.

Xinhua says the mine’s operating licence had expired three weeks earlier and the county government is blaming illegal production for the accident.

Another mine in the same province was flooded on Saturday, trapping six miners.

Rescue efforts are under way.

The mainland has the world’s deadliest coal mining industry. Safety improvements have reduced deaths in recent years, but safety rules are often ignored and accidents are still common.