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13 trapped in gold mine fire in central China

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-09-09 11:16

ZHENGZHOU: A fire broke out Wednesday morning in a gold mine in Sanmenxia City, central China's Henan Province, trapping 13 mine workers and rescuers, according to rescuers.

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The fire has not been brought under control, according to the city's coal mine industry bureau.

The bureau has sent another 25 professional coal mine rescue workers to the scene, after seven of eight rescuers, who had been sent earlier, were trapped under the mine by the fire.

Lei Jianguo, director of the bureau, said a sudden cave-in triggered an electric cable to catch fire at 5:00 am Wednesday, when 13 miners were working under the mine. Only six of them managed to escape.