Survival hope slim for trapped miners in Shanxi
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-08-11 21:49

Missing miners trapped underground in a coal mine accident in north China's Shanxi province last week have little chance to survive, said rescue experts.

A gas explosion occurred last Friday morning in the Xiaowangou coal mine in Hejin city when 121 miners were working underground.

According to local workplace safety authorities, 95 miners escaped after the explosion, five were rescued on Friday evening, and 10 were later found dead. Currently, 11 are still missing.

Rescue experts are now working on a new rescue plan after they confirmed Wednesday afternoon that a fire might be still going on underground.

But they are afraid the survival chance for the trapped miners is slim.

Rescue efforts were once hampered by complicated underground conditions caused by large area of collapse, a roof cave-in and a high concentration of poisonous carbon monoxide.

A second blast occurred Saturday morning in the mine, leaving 20 rescuers wounded.

The wounded rescuers and rescued miners are in stable condition, hospital sources said.

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