China goldmine explosion that trapped 22 people was reported a day later by mine owner.
Image Credit: Xinhua/Wang Kai
Last Sunday, in the afternoon, an explosion occurred in a gold mine in Qixia, Yantai, Shandong province in China. The explosion in the mine trapped 22 people, but the mine owner delayed the reporting of the explosion to the local authorities. The mine is owned by Shandong Wucailong Investment Co Ltd. The mine owner took 30 hours to report the explosion to the local authorities. The delayed reporting is in violation of China laws, which stipulates that any accidents must be reported by the owner to the local authorities within an hour. On Monday at 8pm, the Emergency Management Bureau received the report of an explosion in the gold mine.
The company’s disregard for life is the enemy of the people, which the state law will not allow.
Xinhua News Agency
The explosion took place 240 metres below, causing damage to the shaft ladder room, malfunction of the cage and even the communication system has been damaged, losing all contact with the trapped miners. The 22 mine workers were working in the deeper part of the mine at the moment of the explosion.
Rescue operations are ongoing. On Tuesday, more than 320 rescuers joined the rescuers that were on site. The authorities have deployed more than 40 pieces of machinery and equipment and ventilation methods are being used to force air deep inside the mine in an attempt to remove any toxic gases and fumes inside. Firefighters managed to introduce a sound detection system 370 metres down the mine. Secretary of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee, Liu Jiayi, used an underground communication equipment in an attempt to communicate with the trapped miners but they did not reply.
Unfortunately, mining accidents are very common in China due to very poor safety. Last month, 23 miners lost their lives after being trapped in a mine in the same city. In 2019, 316 miners lost their lives in Chinese coal mines. The cause of the explosion in Sunday’s explosion has not been disclosed yet.
Update (27/01/21) : Eleven workers died in the accident. Eleven workers were rescued from the mine, after being trapped for 14 days.
Share this:
What Now News 24 
2 Comments »