Sichuan coal company criticized for deadly mine accidents

The National Coal Mine Safety Administration has summoned a coal company in Southwest China's Sichuan province for frequent occurrences of deadly accidents at its mines.

Sichuan Coal Industry Group was hit by 22 deadly accidents that claimed 33 lives in the past five years. In the latest accident that killed five on Dec 14, 13 miners were trapped in a flooded coal mine in Gongxian county, Sichuan, for 88 hours before they were rescued, according to a media release from the administration.

"The lessons are painful and these accidents are of an odious nature," the release said.

The accidents exposed a series of problems with the company. While there are loopholes in its safety management system, the group fails to seriously implement laws and regulations, the release said. The company also failed to make sufficient investment to upgrade its facilities.

In addition to asking the company to comb through its mines to remove safety hazards, the administration also demanded work safety watchdogs in Sichuan province roll out special campaigns to enhance safety in the coal mine sector.

The watchdogs should launch inspections that target work on coal mine methane and flood control as soon as possible, it said.