China mine accidents trap 19 underground


BEIJING (Reuters) - A gas explosion and a collapse have trapped 19 people underground in two Chinese coal mines, the latest accidents to hit the world's deadliest mining industry, the official Xinhua agency reported on Friday.
Seven people were caught at the Jianxin mine near Fengcheng city in eastern Jiangsu province after a Thursday afternoon gas explosion in the nearly 50-year old mine.

Another 12 were caught by a collapse when they were changing shifts late on Wednesday at a mine in impoverished southwestern Guizhou province, Xinhua added.

The Rongyang mine in the province's Bouyei-Miao autonomous area was a small venture, producing just 90,000 tonnes of coal a year, but it had an official license.

Rescuers are attempting to dig a tunnel to free the trapped men, Xinhua reported, citing a spokesman for the local government.

Accidents occur almost daily in China's coal mining industry and survival odds for miners trapped underground are usually low.

Last year nearly 6,000 miners died in 3,300 blasts, floods, collapses and other accidents as mine owners pushed production beyond safety limits in a rush to profit from booming demand.

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