Seven workers have died and another three have been injured, one of them seriously, in an accident at the Fengchun Coal Mine at Chongqing in southwest China, on Saturday 16 December 2018. The incident happened slightly after 6.05 pm local time, when a skip containing coal came free and tumbled down a coal shaft. The mine owners, the Chongqing Energy Group, have suspended operations at all of their coal mines pending an enquiry into the incident.
The approximate location of the Fengchun Coal Mine. Google Maps.
China gains 70% of its energy from coal-burning power stations, which
places the country under great pressure to maintain coal supplies. This
has led to a poor safety record within the mining sector, particularly
in the private sector, where there is a culture of seeking quick profits
in poorly regulated (and often officially non-existent) mines. State
owned mines are often thought to be better regulated, but still compare
badly to mines in other parts of the world.
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