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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, November 20, 2001

Small Coal Mines in Shanxi Ordered to Stop Production for Safety Checks

All small coal mines in Shanxi Province, north China, have been ordered to stop production to undergo safety checks after 58 miners were killed in a series of coal mine gas explosions last week. It has been decided at an emergency teleconference called by the provincial government that none of the mines is allowed to resume production before passing a safety examination, an official said Monday.


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Small Coal Mines in Shanxi Ordered to Stop Production for Safety Checks
All small coal mines in Shanxi Province, north China, have been ordered to stop production to undergo safety checks after 58 miners were killed in a series of coal mine gas explosions last week. It has been decided at an emergency teleconference called by the provincial government that none of the mines is allowed to resume production before passing a safety examination, an official said Monday.

Those responsible for accidents taking place in production resumed without authorization will be dealt with harshly, the official said. A gas explosion took place at 11:40 am last Tuesday in Qingyu Coal Mine, claiming the lives of 11 persons; 33 miners were killed in a major gas explosion at 9:20 pm two days later in Podi Coal Mine; 14 miners are still stranded underground by a gas explosion at 10:00 Saturday morning in Daquanwan Coal; and another 14 miners were confirmed dead in an explosion at around 5:00 Sunday morning in Xiangyu Coal Mine. The four small mines had all received government orders to stop production before the explosions took place, the official said. Four people found to be responsible for one of the fatal accidents have been arrested.




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