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Toll in Chinese coal mine disasters drops

BEIJING: The number of miners killed in Chinese coal mines has dropped by 21 per cent compared to the same period last year.

``The work safety situation is still grave, however. We cannot relax,'' said Li Yizhong, head of the State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS), at a press conference on Thursday.

Chinese coal mines, the world's most deadly, claimed 5,948 lives in 2005. A 21 per cent decline in the number of miners killed would mean around 4,800 people lost their lives in coal mine accidents this year.

Mr. Li said the number of so-called major accidents in which ten or more miners are killed had decreased sharply.

The decrease is largely due to the closure of small illegally-operated mines, said Zhao Tiechui, SAWS deputy head at the press conference. There were 851 fewer deaths in small mines so far this year, which accounts for almost all of the overall reduction.

China will have closed 1,704 illegal small mines by the end of the year, said Mr. Zhao.

The total number of workplace accidents has fallen 9.9 per cent year on year to 618,632, with deaths down 10.3 per cent to 109,143.

About 320 people are killed every day on average in workplace and traffic accidents in China, said Mr. Li, adding that the Government is working to reduce the occurrence of workplace accidents, At the press conference, the SAWS announced the results of its investigations into 11 major accidents, which claimed 535 lives, with 11 still missing, and caused economic losses of 415 million yuan.

The administration's investigations resulted in 117 persons being referred to judicial departments to face possible criminal charges. — Xinhua

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