Rescuers: Miners have little chance of survival in NE China fire

HARBIN, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Rescuers believe 13 miners trapped by a fire in a northeast China coal mine have no little chance of survival after almost five days underground.

The fire at Taiyuan mine in Hegang, Heilongjiang Province, has spread to 300 meters below ground, despite efforts to extinguish it by pumping down water and sand.

After measuring airflow back, experts believed the underground carbon monoxide density would be fatal, said a member of the rescue team.

Rescuers had started to isolate the auxiliary shaft from the main shaft to restrict the oxygen supply to the fire.

The fire began at about 10 p.m. on Wednesday. Preliminary investigations showed it was caused by an underground cable fire or improper use of welding equipment.

The mine's general manager, Jin Yongfu, is alleged to have tried to cover up the accident by denying that people were trapped underground, which delayed rescue efforts until the situation had worsened, local police said Sunday.

The Taiyuan mine was formerly a state-owned coal mine set up in1978. It was bought by brothers Jin Yongfu and his brother, Jin Yonghui, in 2001 and has an annual production capacity of 90,000 tons.