The names of twenty more miners were on Wednesday added to the list of the dead or missing in northeast China's coalmine blast, raising the death toll to 164 as at 8:00 AM Thursday.

 

Rescue headquarters held a press conference at 8:00 PM Wednesday, saying that bodies of 13 miners were found on Wednesday afternoon while the whereabouts of  7 others were still unknown.

 

A check showed that 241 miners, and not 221 as previously reported, were working underground at the time of the explosion, according to a spokesman of the Heilongjiang provincial administration of coalmine safety supervision.

 

The inaccurate report was a result of disorganization and poor management at the Dongfeng Coal Mine, run by the Qitaihe branch of the Longmei Mining (Group) Co., Ltd, the spokesman said.

 

Urged by the State Council working team, local police conducted a further headcount.

 

20 people showed up in the recount; 19 gas examiners and one powder worker.

 

72 miners have been rescued.

 

The rescue headquarters mobilized 50 more people on Wednesday, divided into seven teams, to search for the missing miners. But their chances of survival are slim.

 

As of Wednesday, 100 have been identified by their relatives while compensation work proceeds in full swing.

 

A spokesman of the Longmei Mining (Group) Co., Ltd. said the relatives of every dead miner will receive between 200,000 to 220,000 yuan (about US$24,660 to 27,100) in compensation.

 

Meanwhile two mine officials have been detained by police for alleged dereliction of duty Ma Jinguang and Chen Zhiqiang, head and Party secretary, respectively, of the State-owned coal mine. Ironically, Ma was declared a role model in mine management just 10 days before the accident.

 

The Heilongjiang provincial government also held an emergency videophone conference ordering production safety checks in all mines.

 

Mines which do not meet production safety criteria will be immediately closed down.

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 1, 2005)