Coal mine fire in China, at least 16 people died

At least 16 people were killed when a fire broke out at the Shanjueshu coal mine in Panzhou city, Guizhou province, southwest China.

In a statement posted on the Panzhou city website, the local government said the fire, which broke out at 8:10 a.m. on September 24, had been extinguished but "after preliminary verification, 16 people no longer showed signs of life."

The initial cause is believed to be a conveyor belt fire that trapped the victims. The Shanjiashu coal mine is located about 3,600 km from the capital Beijing.

A coal mine in Panzhou city, Guizhou province, China, in 2018. Photo: Xinhua

Safety in China's mining sector has improved in recent decades, but accidents are still common in the industry, often due to lax enforcement of safety procedures, especially in primitive mines.

In February, a coal mine collapse in northern China’s Inner Mongolia region left dozens of people and vehicles buried under the rubble. After months of not disclosing the number of casualties, authorities announced in June that the accident had killed 53 people.

Location of Guizhou province (red dot), China. BBC graphics

Vu Hoang (According to Xinhua, AFP )

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