Carbon Monoxide Accident at Zhongchongqing Mine... At Least 18 Dead

At the Songjiao coal mine in Chongqing, after carbon monoxide levels exceeded the standard last September, trapping miners inside the mine, rescue teams are waiting outside the tunnel. (Chongqing AFP=Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] At least 18 people have died in a carbon monoxide accident at a coal mine in China.

According to local media including China Central Television (CCTV) on the 5th, around 5 p.m. (local time) the previous day, a carbon monoxide level exceeding the limit occurred inside a coal mine in Chongqing City. At the time of the accident, there were 24 workers inside the mine, and by 7 a.m. that day, one survivor was rescued while 18 were found dead.

The coal mine was supposed to have been closed two months ago, but the accident occurred during the dismantling of underground equipment. Authorities are investigating the exact cause of the accident.

The coal mine was constructed in 1975 and converted into a private enterprise in 1998. In March 2013, there was also a hydrogen sulfide poisoning accident inside the mine, resulting in 3 deaths and 2 injuries.