Chinese cave mine that killed 21 was suspended in 2017 to improve safety
- Roof collapse at Lijiagou mine in Shaanxi province happened as 87 people were working underground
- Investigation under way to determine cause of accident
A cave-in at a coal mine in northwest China on Saturday has left 21 people dead, state media reported on Sunday.
The incident happened at the Lijiagou mine in Shenmu, Shaanxi province, about 4:30pm when 87 people were working underground, local authorities said.
Although rescuers managed to lift 66 miners to safety, 19 were found dead on Saturday, while two others, initially thought to be missing, were confirmed as fatalities on Sunday, state broadcaster CCTV said.
Footage from the scene showed a large number of rescue vehicles and personnel still at the site on Sunday, while the report said an investigation into the cause of the collapse is under way.
According to a government notice, the Lijiagou mine was granted approval in 2016 to produce 900,000 tonnes of coal a year. But in 2017, following a government campaign, its owner – Baiji Mining Company – was ordered to suspend operations while it “improved safety standards to prevent serious accidents”.