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Chronology of key events in Wangjialing coal mine rescue operation

2010-04-06 08:51 BJT

Special Report: A Miracle Finally Happened |

BEIJING, April 5 (Xinhua) -- A total of 115 Chinese workers were miraculously pulled out of a flooded coal mine in north China’s Shanxi Province by Monday afternoon, after being trapped underground for more than a week.

The following is a chronology of major developments since March 28, 2010.

-- On March 28, underground water gushed in the pit of Wangjialing Coal Mine at about 1:40 p.m.. 108 workers escaped while 153 others remained trapped in the shaft.

President Hu Jintao ordered resolute measures be taken to rescue the trapped workers and prevent secondary disasters from happening.

Premier Wen Jiabao instructed rescue workers to race against time and go all out to rescue the trapped ones.

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang arrived at the accident site to oversee the search and rescue operation, and the rescue headquarters were set up the same day at night. An emergency response plan was put into operation.

-- On March 29, water stopped rising in the flooded mine.

-- On March 30, the water level dropped by 15 cm, and a total of 15,000 cubic meters of water was pumped out of the pit by 6 p.m.

-- On March 31, rescuers said some of the 153 workers may still be alive.

Luo Lin, director of the State Work Safety Administration, said ignoring warnings that water was seeping into the coal shaft and slow evacuation had led to the accident.

-- On April 1, the water level underground had dropped by 95 cm and a total of 44,200 cubic meters of water had been pumped from the shaft by 6 p.m.

Rescuers drilled a vertical hole underground, ensuring oxygen in the flooded pit.

-- On April 2, rescuers heard the sound of knocking on metal pipes, and an iron wire was found attached at the end of a drill pipe when it was lifted to the surface at 3 p.m., indicating signs of life.

Bags of glucose were sent down to the trapped workers.

-- On April 3, thirteen rescuers entered the flooded mine to search for the trapped workers, but the situation underground was "very complicated" and the water was "murky and deep".

No more signs of life were found after tapping on the drill pipe was heard from underground the previous day.

-- On April 4, the accumulated pumped water reached 140,000 cubic meters by the afternoon, paving way for the implementation of rescue operation.

At around 10 p.m., swaying lamp lights were seen at the other side of the V-shaped shaft of the mine, indicating signs of life. Rescuers entered the coal mine at around 11 p.m..

-- On April 5, the first group of 9 survivors were taken out of the mine safely on early morning.

By the afternoon, 115 miners had been lifted to safety.

President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao extended their regards to the rescued workers.

The rescue work, taken by more than 5,000 rescuers and hundreds of experts, is still ongoing to search for the remaining 38 trapped workers.

More than 2,000 rescuers are working in the shaft underground.

Editor: Jin Lin | Source: Xinhua