Urumqi
(AsiaNews) - The collapse of a coal mine
in the western province of Xinjiang
has killed 16
miners and seriously injured other 11. The tragedy
occurred last night in Tiechanggou
- a town near the local capital Urumqi - but
official news has only now began circulating. There
was a total of 33 workers inside the mine
at the time of the collapse: according
to the authorities, the six who are missing "fled".
The police report into the incident has not named the coal mine. Moreover it merely
states that "the causes of the
accident are currently under
investigation." Even the National Work Safety Watchdog said it had
opened an investigation, without giving further details. The families of the miners and some local
reporters rushed to the scene but were turned away by security agents.
Coal mining is the most dangerous job
in all of China, which relies on the
fuel for 70% of its
energy needs. Despite the central government's rhetoric
and promises, which has repeatedly
declared it will pace stringent safety measures on mining
activities, illegal mines have
sprouted throughout the country.
Often the owners do
not follow safety rules, and send unprepared people with
outdated equipment underground.
According to the latest government
statistics, in 2012 1,384 people were killed in
mines. In 2011, 1,973 more died, all in
accidents in coal
mines, a reduction of 19% over
the previous year. But human
rights groups and Chinese scholars
say the figure is much higher: many mine
owners, in fact, do not report incidents
for fear of economic losses,
fines or plant closures.
Very often local authorities are corrupted by bribes
to turn a blind eye to the lack
of security policies. Mine
closures are, under the new President
Xi Jinping, another part of the
anti-corruption campaign launched by Communist
officials.