Chinese mine blast death toll hits 87, with 21 still missing

The death toll from a massive methane gas explosion at a north China coal mine today rose to 87 with 21 workers still missing, the government said.

The official Xinhua News Agency said rescuers confirmed that 87 workers were killed from the blast at the Liuguantun Colliery.

The new figures indicated there were two more miners dead or missing than previously thought, but did not explain the discrepancy.

A disparity in numbers often occurs in such incidents and highlights the industry’s chronic mismanagement and inattention to safety protocols.

A mixture of airborne coal dust and colourless, methane-laden gas known as fire damp ignited to cause the blast on Wednesday, an initial investigation showed.

The colliery is located in Tangshan, a city is in Hebei province about 93 miles from Beijing.