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The death toll from a carbon monoxide leak inside a coal mine in southwestern China rose to 23, while one person was rescued, officials said on Sunday. The accident took place at the closed Diaoshuidong colliery in the Yongchuan district of Chongqing Municipality at around 5 pm (local time) on Friday.
The dead are among 24 people trapped underground in the coal mine, where they were dismantling equipment in a pit, due to excessive levels of carbon monoxide gas.
The mine was suspended over two months ago and shut down.
As reported by the state-run Xinhua news agency on Sunday, the cause of the accident is being further investigated.
According to the local emergency management department, the Diaoshuidong coal mine, which was established in 1975 and became privately-owned in 1998, has an annual production capacity of 120,000 tonnes of coal.
Hydrogen sulphide poisoning in the mine caused three deaths and two injuries in March 2013.
Although safety improvements have reduced deaths at coal mines in recent years, in China, which is the world’s largest producer of coal, mining accidents are common.
After high levels of carbon monoxide trapped miners at the Songzao coal mine in Chongqing, at least 16 people died in late September.
More than 100 coal mining accidents in 2020 have now been reported by China, which is both the world’s largest producer and consumer of coal.
The government launched a year-long review of all coal mines and coal mining projects in November, focusing on infrastructure, risk prevention management, and emergency response and rescue capabilities.
In order to meet production targets, coal production in China typically ramps up between November and February.
