Unknown casualties in China mine explosion
Casualty estimates varied widely following a coal mine explosion in northern China on Thursday, with reported deaths ranging from 46 to 96.
The state-run Xinhua news agency said two offices of the State Administration of Coal Mine Safety had conflicting reports, with one saying there were 46 dead with 13 survivors and 74 unaccounted for, and another saying 96 were killed.
The blast happened at Xinyao pit, located in Linfen, the report said. Local officials said 13 rescue crews had been sent to the site, and 15 miners had either escaped or been rescued.
There were nearly 2,000 coal mining accidents through October this year, killing more than 3,000 people, earlier reports from Xinhua said.
A BBC correspondent in Beijing said government statistics show an average of 13 miners are killed in China every day in mining accidents. // Copyright 2007 by United Press International
- Gibraltar fuel depot explosion rocks port, two hurt
- Mexico rescuers comb mine blast site as hopes fade
- Mexico miners killed in underground explosion
- Blast rocks Belarus metro system (VIDEO)
- Breaking News: Nuclear Meltdown at Fukushima nuclear plant(VIDEO)
- Breaking news: Explosion Reported at Japanese Nuclear Plant
- New Zealand mine: 'No survivors' after second blast
- Blast At Vladikavkaz market kills at least 14
- Obama to meet oil spill victims' families
- Rescue team withdrawn from West Virginia mine, 4 miners remain missing
- Naked photo shoot planned for Mexico City
- Kerry Katona expecting another girl
- Anna Nicole Smith's body in morgue amid court fight
- Johnny Knoxville has confessed he has a small penis
- Nude Britney Spears on Bearskin Rug
- Captive Natascha Kampusch was sexually abused - Images
- Angelina Jolie till sleeps with Jenny Shimizu
- Fire of raunchy photos Katie Rees Miss Nevada
- Sex scandal: Romanian consul in Moldova caught on tape
- World's smallest baby to be released from hospital