Rescue crews able to save 11 trapped by fire in Shandong coal mine

All 11 miners who had been trapped since Tuesday in the darkness of a coal mine in Jiaxiang county, Shandong province, had been lifted to safety as of 10:18 am on Thursday, with blindfolds protecting their eyes from the sun, local authorities said.

They were sent to the hospital and described as being in stable condition.

The miners were trapped underground after a fire broke out late on Tuesday in a mine run by Liangbaosi Energy Co, an affiliate of Feicheng Mining Group Co of Shandong Energy Group.

"I'm fine. I'm fine. I want to call my wife. Can I give a call to my wife?" one of the rescued men said when asked how he felt.

A rescue effort was launched immediately after authorities learned of the accident, said Wang Duanwu, head of the Shandong Bureau of Coal Mine Safety Supervision.

"Four rescue teams involving 144 professional rescuers were dispatched to join in the work," Wang said.

Rescuers had been hampered by high temperatures underground and a high concentration of hazardous gases, including carbon monoxide. Robots were used to extinguish fires. Drilling equipment and satellite telecommunications devices also were used.

Workers from departments of public security, health, emergency management, power supply and telecommunications reached the site quickly, said Zhu Ruixian, head of Jiaxiang county.

Shandong Party Secretary Liu Jiayi went to the mine on Wednesday morning and said rescue efforts should follow scientific methods to ensure worker safety and prevent secondary accidents.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Liangbaosi manages more than 95 square kilometers of land used for coal mines, with reserves estimated at 569 million metric tons, according to the Feicheng website. The company has an annual production capacity of 3 million tons.