Death toll rises to 14 in north China coal mine blast

JINZHONG, Shanxi, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- Rescuers on Tuesday recovered the bodies of three workers missing since a gas blast the day before in a coal mine in Shanxi Province, bringing the death toll to 14.

The rescue headquarters called off the 32-hour rescue operation after the bodies were lifted to the ground at 7:20 p.m.

Rescuers get ready to get into the well to search for survivors at  the site of the gas blast in Heshun County in Jinzhong City, north  China's Shanxi Province, on Aug. 25, 2009. Rescuers on Tuesday  recovered the bodies of three workers missing since a gas blast  took place here at the entrance of a mine shaft under construction  at the Xingguang Coal Industry Co. Ltd at about 11:10 a.m. Monday,  bringing the death toll to 14. The rescue headquarters called off  the 32-hour rescue operation after the bodies were lifted to the  ground at 7:20 p.m.. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

Rescuers could not get into the shaft until huge amount of blast debris was cleared from the entrance and a 300-meter-long pipe was forced into the pit to increase ventilation at about 6:30p.m.

The explosion took place at the entrance of a mine shaft under construction at the Xingguang Coal Industry Co. Ltd. in Heshun County in Jinzhong City at about 11:10 a.m. Monday, when 16 people were working in the area. Two, who were more than 100 meters from the entrance, escaped unharmed.

The 16 workers came from a coal mine construction company based in Xingtai City in neighboring Hebei Province.