One miner has survived a coal mine fire that broke out in north China's Shanxi Province Sunday but the other 18 trapped miners are confirmed dead.
At three o'clock Friday morning, the 19 miners were found at the Chiyu Coal Mine in Huozhou city. The survivor was rushed to hospital, but was still in a critical condition at press time.
The bodies of the 18 victims who died of suffocation and carbon monoxide poisoning, have been removed from the mine.
The coal is still burning and the mine has been sealed.
The fire was triggered by an electric cable igniting in the main shaft, according to local sources.
(Xinhua News Agency August 9, 2002)
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