13 workers killed in iron mine accident in China

Beijing: All 13 workers, who were trapped in an iron mine in north China’s Shanxi Province, have been confirmed dead, according to the local authorities.

The bodies of the workers were lifted out of the well that flooded the Dahongcai iron mine in Daixian County on June 10.

A rescue team comprising 1,084 people worked for six straight days. The DNA confirmation has been completed, according to the local rescue headquarters.

Police have detained 13 suspects. An investigation into the cause of the accident is underway, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported on late Wednesday night.

Chinese coal mines are one of the deadliest in the world. In 2009, China had the most mining accident fatalities in the world, with a total of 2,631 coal miners dying in accidents, according to an official figure released by State Administration of Work Safety.

Most accidents are blamed on a failure to follow safety regulations, including adequate ventilation and available fire control equipment.

In November last year, the Chinese government launched a year-long review of all functioning coal mines and coal-mining projects, highlighting issues of infrastructure, risk prevention management and capabilities for emergency response and rescue.