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Death toll in Henan colliery blast rises to 42

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-09-09 11:21

PINGDINGSHAN, Henan: The death toll from a coal mine gas explosion in central China's Henan Province Tuesday rose to 42 with 37 still trapped underground, the local safety watchdog said Wednesday morning.

Rescuers prepare to go down into the pit where a gas blast took place early Tuesday morning in Pingdingshan, central China's Henan province September 8, 2009. Search and rescue operation is still underway. [Xinhua]

The deadly gas blast took place around 1 a.m. Tuesday in the Xinhua No. 4 pit in Xinhua District of Pingdingshan City, said a spokesman with the Henan Provincial Bureau of Work Safety.

Related readings:  Blast in illegal mine kills 35  Coal mine blast kills 35 in Henan, 44 missing  Fatal blast business owner put under surveillance in E. China  Coal mine gas blast kills 7 in SW China  Death toll rises to 14 in N China coal mine blast

A total of 93 people were working in the pit when the accident happened, 14 of whom managed to escape.

The accident has aroused the attention of top leadership, including President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao. Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang arrived in Pingdingshan with a government delegation at 1:10 p.m. Tuesday.

Qi Tongyan, deputy head of Xinhua District of Pingdingshan City, and Zhang Xizhi, a coal industry administration official of the city, were dismissed from their posts Tuesday afternoon, about 10 hours after the deadly gas blast.