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Mine blast toll reaches 79
13/7/2005 11:47

Shanghai Daily news

Rescuers yesterday found the bodies of another 14 coal miners killed in the gas blast in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, pushing the death toll to 79.
Four miners were saved and rushed to hospital on Monday when the explosion rocked the Shenlong colliery in Fukang City about 2:30am.
Fukang is about 62 kilometers northeast of the regional capital of Urumqi.
A search continued last night for the remaining four workers, reported the People's Daily on its Website yesterday. Rescuers said there was a slim chance they survived.
Meanwhile, police detained an unspecified number of people managing the facility that operated without a safety license.
High levels of gas in a mine shaft prevented rescuers from searching for the remaining victims. An emergency response team was ventilating the shaft to avoid another explosion.
Investigators said the gas content often exceeded the safety level several days before the mishap, but management at the mine failed to respond.
The missing men were about 200 meters underground, according to Tian Weiguang, a top Xinjiang mine safety supervisor.
Each victims' family will receive compensation of 200,000 yuan (US$24,000).