Society

13 rescued after coal mine flooded in SW China

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-11-22 13:12

WEIYUAN, Sichuan Province - Thirteen out of 29 miners who had been trapped since Sunday morning in a flooded coal mine in Southwest China's Sichuan province were rescued and brought to the ground Monday, Xinhua journalists reported at the site.

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They were greeted by local residents, including family members of the trapped miners, and fire fighters, at the scene.

Emergency rescue headquarters said those still trapped are likely to come out of the mine soon.

Four emergency medical service tents had been erected, with at least three doctors and nurses standing by each of the 20-plus stretchers inside them. The doctors and nurses prepared gas-filled pillows and physiological saline.

The accident happened at 11 am Sunday when 35 miners were working underground at Batian Coal Mine in Weiyuan county of Neijiang city. Thirteen of them rushed out while the other 22 were left behind.

After the accident, seven rescuers, led by a vice mine manager, descended to free the miners but were trapped underground, too.

Previously it was reported that 28 people, including six rescuers, were trapped.