ZHENGZHOU, May 31 -- A gas fire underground on Sunday has left one miner dead and 15 others burned to varying degrees ina major mining company of Pingdingshan city in central China's Henan province, company sources said.
The accident occurred at the No. 10 mining area of the Pingdingshan Mining Group Company at about 1:45 p.m. Sunday when 16 miners were releasing gas inside the mining shaft. The gas burst into flames during the process, burning all the workers nearby before being extinguished two minutes later.
One miner accidentally struck his head against the rocks when trying to dodge the fire and died later, the company said. Six seriously burned miners were sent to the General Hospital under the mining company while nine other miners were still under medical observation at a local hospital.
Authorities have suspended the mining operation inside the shaft where the tragedy occurred. The cause of the accident is under investigation.
