The death toll in the five iron mines that caught fire Saturday morning in Shahe City in north China's Hebei Province has risen to 57, said an official with the leading group in charge of the rescue operation.

 

The bodies of 49 miners killed in the fire, most of whom succumbed to suffocation, were lifted to the ground by 7:30 AM. Monday, and the location of eight other dead miners has been identified and will be transported to the surface soon.

 

Up to now, 46 miners have been rescued alive. But three other miners remained missing. Search for the missing miners is sill going on.

 

Miners killed in the disaster were either locals or from the underdeveloped Guizhou Province in southwest China and Shaanxi Province in northwest China.

 

Preliminary investigation shows that the fire broke out due to electronic cable self-ignition in one iron mine. The fire spread quickly to four other iron mines which were all connected. Heavy smog soon trapped 106 miners.

 

Premier Wen Jiabao and State Councilor Hua Jianmin said the rescue team should make every effort to find those trapped and hold those responsible to account.

 

An investigation team, sent by the State Council, reached the site on Saturday. 

 

Hebei’s provincial government issued a circular on Sunday urging all mines in the province to conduct extensive safety inspections.

 

The circular said the fire in Shahe was the third major mining accident in the province in the last two months. The other two were a gas blast in Handan on September 23, which killed 13, and a flooded coalmine also in Handan, killing 29.

 

According to the circular, unlicensed mines will be shut down and those that can’t meet safety requirements will also be closed if they do not make sufficient improvements in time.

 

The document said negligent officials involved in mine accidents will be prosecuted and those who attempt to hide their role would be given more severe punishments.

 

(Xinhua News Agency November 22, 2004)