Rescuers try to find 15 still trapped by mine blast in China

We “will exert our utmost as long as there’s still a ray of hope,” Chongqing deputy mayor Mu Huaping said of the search efforts, according to Xinhua.

Local officials did not answer telephone calls from The Associated Press, and a person who answered the phone at the mine hung up when asked about the blast.

Gas explosions inside mines are often caused when a flame or electrical spark ignites gas leaking from the coal seam. Ventilation systems are supposed to prevent gas from becoming trapped.

The State Administration of Work Safety ordered an investigation into the blast, “adding that those responsible must be strictly punished.” Local officials in Chongqing also ordered smaller mines to shut down temporarily, Xinhua said.

China’s mining industry has long been among the world’s deadliest. The head of the State Administration of Work Safety said earlier this year that struggling coal mines might be likely to overlook maintenance.

China is the world’s largest producer and consumer of coal but plans to shutter more than 1,000 outdated mines as part of a broader plan to reduce overproduction.

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This story has been corrected by changing the deputy mayor’s surname to Mu instead of Ma.

Nomaan Merchant, The Associated Press

by Canadian Press

Rescuers try to find 15 still trapped by mine blast in China

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