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Four trapped in east China mine accident

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-11-22 11:38

NANCHANG -- Rescuers are still working all-out Saturday to search for four miners that have been trapped under a tungsten mine in east China's Jiangxi Province for more than 36 hours.

A spokesman with the provincial work safety bureau said there was hope for the miners to survive, because as of Saturday morning, they were still heard knocking the walls in a shaft of Hantan Tungsten Mine of Jiahu Village in Longnan County.

The four miners were found missing at 8 pm Thursday. Co-workers suspected a cave-in had trapped them underground. They knocked the track leading to the shaft and heard the trapped miners knocking in response, a rescuer said.

The accident was reported to the local safety watchdog at 11 pm.

Rescuers had since piped wind and dripped water through the ventilation system to help the miners survive. Ambulances and medical workers are standing by for first-aid.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.