Photo:Xinhua

Ten people were killed and six remain missing as of press time following a coal mine accident that occurred on Friday in Pingdingshan city, located in Central China's Henan Province. The top provincial leader has issued instructions, requiring all efforts to be made in carrying out the search and rescue of the missing persons.

The accident occurred at around 2 pm at a coal mine in Pingdingshan. A preliminary investigation suggested that the incident was caused by a coal and gas outburst in the outer section of an intake airway. People in charge of the coal mine's operations have been placed in custody by the police.

Lou Yangsheng, secretary of the Henan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, called for all-out efforts on Friday to recover missing personnel, properly handle the aftermath of the victims, quickly determine the cause of the accident, comprehensively carry out safety inspections in key industries, and effectively safeguard people's lives and property. Wang Kai, governor of Henan, and Sun Sougang, executive vice governor, quickly arrived at the scene to organize rescue operation on the same day.

A rescue command center has been established in Pingdingshan, and a provincial-level emergency team has also been established. A working group deployed by the Ministry of Emergency Management has arrived at the scene and started working on Saturday morning. The expert team of professional rescue personnel are on-site providing guidance and support for the ongoing rescue operation.

Global Times