21 killed, 12 trapped in lastest China mining accidents

Two deadly coal mine accidents, one in central Henan province and the second in southwestern Guizhou province, have caused the deaths of 21 people while 12 others remained trapped, AFP reported, citing state media. An explosion went off in a colliery on Tuesday in Guizhou’s Renhuai city, killing 12 and trapping five of the 60 miners working underground when the incident happened. A deadly gas leaked into a pit at the Sanyuandong coal mine in Henan’s Dengfeng city, where nine workers were killed and seven trapped. A total of 127 miners were in the pit at the time, but 111 of them were able to escape, said an official with the Zhengzhou Coal Industry (600121.SH), which owns the colliery. After the incident the mine manger was fired and the company’s chief engineer was suspended. Last year 2,631 miners were killed in China, according to official figures.