China has ordered Chongqing provincial government to take decisive measures to effectively stop major accidents in coal mines after at least 40 people have been killed in two separate mine accidents in the southwestern province in recent months.
23 workers were killed after being trapped underground in a coal mine in the city of Chongqing this weekend. The miners were among the total 24 people who have been exposed to unsafe levels of carbon monoxide at the Diaoshuidong coal mine which is a high-gas mine with a capacity of 120,000 tpa of coal. One person has been rescued. The mine was suspended and shut down over two months ago. The cause of the accident is being further investigated.
The latest incident is the region’s second such accident in just two months, as reported by state news agency. At least 16 people died in late September after high levels of carbon monoxide trapped miners at the Songzao coal mine in Chongqing. Chongqing government officials were summoned by the State Council’s Work Safety Committee after two fatal accidents at coal mines in the southwestern region.
Despite safety measures, mining accidents are common in China. China, which is both the world’s largest producer and consumer of coal, has now reported more than 100 coal mining accidents in 2020. In November, the government launched a year-long review of all working coal mines and coal-mining projects, focusing on infrastructure, risk prevention management and capabilities for emergency response and rescue.
Coal production in China typically ramps up between November and February in order to meet production targets.Additional safety checks at mines in top producing provinces have crimped output at a time of strengthening demand, pushing prices higher.
