17 killed in fire at mine in northeast China, lives of 19 more hang in balance

Seventeen miners have died after a fire at a colliery in northeast China.

The government in Huludao in Liaoning province said on Friday that 13 trapped miners were killed immediately and four more died later in hospital.

READ MORE: 21 killed in coal-mine fire in northeast of mainland China

Another six miners survived the blaze on Thursday that appeared to have been sparked by faulty electrical wiring.

After another mine accident in the city of Hegang in Heilongjiang province on Wednesday, 19 miners are trapped under ground with little chance of survival, state media reported.

More than 40 hours after the accident triggered by a gas explosion, firefighters were still unable to get down the mine on Friday morning to put out the blaze because of dangerous concentrations of carbon monoxide and high temperatures inside, the report said.

READ MORE: At least 10 people killed in accident at Chinese coal mine

China’s mines have long been the world’s deadliest, but safety improvements and a decline in the demand for coal have reduced the number of deaths in recent years.