Death toll from colliery accident rises to 7

CHANGCHUN - The death toll from a coal mine accident in Northeast China's Jilin province has risen to seven, as three miners who were pulled out from the mine died after rescue efforts failed, authorities said Tuesday.

Four of the 17 miners who were trapped underground had been lifted out of the Jisheng Coal Mine in the city of Baishan as of 2 pm Monday, and were sent to a nearby hospital for treatment, sources with the rescue headquarters said.

Three of them died after rescue efforts in the hospital failed, and the fourth is in stable condition, according to the sources.

Thirteen miners remain trapped in the mine, and rescue work is under way. However, rescue efforts have been hampered, as the shaft was blocked due to collapse, sources said.

The accident, triggered by a coal and gas burst, happened at around 6 am on Monday, killing four and trapping 17 miners underground.

A total of 116 miners were working underground when the accident occurred, and 95 of them were lifted out of the mine safely.

The Jisheng Coal Mine, which originally belonged to Tonghua Mining Bureau, was sold to a private owner in 2003 after the mine declared bankruptcy in 1995. It resumed production in 2008 and is currently capable of churning out 210,000 tons of coal annually.