The Qixia gold mine accident was a mining accident that occurred on 10 January 2021 in Qixia, Shandong, China. An access tunnel collapsed due to an explosion at the Hushan (笏山) gold mine, trapping twenty-two miners underground. As of 10 February 2021, eleven miners had been rescued, ten were found dead, and one remains missing.
| Date | 10 January 2021 |
|---|---|
| Location | Qixia, Shandong, China |
| Type | mining accident |
| Deaths | 10 |
| Non-fatal injuries | unknown |
| Missing | 1 |
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Accident
editAt 2 pm on 10 January, an explosion occurred 240 meters underground in the Yantai Qixia gold mine in the Shandong Province (China). The twenty-two miners working at 648 meters and lower became trapped underground. The explosion severely damaged cages, ladders, and communication systems within the shafts. Because of an inadequate initial assessment of rescue difficulty, the gold mine company did not report the situation to the Qixia Municipal Emergency Management Bureau until 8:05 pm on 11 January. Qixia municipal committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) then reported the situation to the Yantai municipal committee of the CCP less than an hour later.[1][2]
After receiving the report that evening, the Shandong Provincial Committee of the CCP initiated the Integrated Emergency Rescue Command for provinces, cities and counties. Seven rescue groups were dispatched along with technical experts, logistics support, and media liaison. Investigation into the accident, and communication with the miners' families were being organized, along with medical treatment for victims, and on-site COVID-19 protocol. Song Yuanming (宋元明) and Li Wanjiang (李万疆), deputy director of the State Mine Safety Supervision Bureau, were connected by video conference that night to guide the rescue effort.
In the morning of 12 January, Liu Jiayi (刘家义), secretary of the CCP of Shandong Province, who was attending a seminar for leading cadres at the provincial and ministerial levels in Beijing, and Li Ganjie (李干杰), deputy secretary of the CCP provincial committee and governor of Shandong Province, asked CCP General Secretary Xi Jinping to rush to the scene of the Hushan gold mine accident in Shandong Province. Meanwhile, Huang Yuzhi (黄玉治), Vice Minister of Emergency Management in the People's Republic of China and Head of the State Administration of Mine Safety and Supervision, arrived at the scene at noon on 12 January to guide the rescue. Wang Shujian (王书坚), executive vice-governor of the Shandong provincial government, arrived at the scene in the morning of 12 January.[3]
Rescue
editOn 12 January, at 7 pm, the on-site rescue command held a second press conference. Yantai City Emergency Management Bureau Director Sun Shufu (孙树福) gave updates on the rescue. Progress was made in accelerating the removal of obstructive debris in the ventilation shaft, borehole drilling operations, and opening a communication and life-supply channel with possible survivors.[4] At 12 pm on the 14th, 43 rescue workers were added to the site. The emergency rescue command team mobilized a total of 11 rescue teams, 393 rescue workers, 70 machinery and mining equipment to aid in the rescue.[5]
In the afternoon of 17 January, a third hole was drilled for rescue efforts.[6] At about 10 pm, the hole was set up for delivery of vital supplies. By means of a weighted rope, workers slowly lowered flashlights, beverages, medicines, pens and papers into the narrow borehole. The supplies reached the end of the rope within an hour, [7] and by midnight, the rope was pulled back with supplies removed and a note returned.[8]
At noon on 19 January, the Health Emergency Office of the National Health and Health Commission led five national experts to the area to strengthen the rescue force. The national expert group consists of Beijing Xiehe Hospital, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital and Beijing Anding Hospital.[9]
On 22 January, progress was steady on maintaining channels for monitoring, detection, and drainage support. A search was conducted in the first borehole, with no signs of victims. The depth of the mine, solid rock and utility lines served as obstacles in reaching miners still trapped underground. [10]
Rescue of miners
editBy 24 January, eleven miners had been rescued after being brought out one at a time in a cuffa (big metallic bucket used in mine shafts to transport personnel and equipment).[11]
On 25 January at 5 pm, nine miners were found dead[12] due to the blast from the second explosion,[13] with an additional body discovered later.
Investigation of responsibility
editOn 13 January, the third press conference was held at the scene of the accident at Qixia Lushan gold mine, and Li Bo (李波), deputy mayor of Yantai City, said at the press conference that the person responsible for the accident had been brought under control.[14] On 13 January, Shandong Provincial Emergency Management Department issued a notice to quickly carry out a centralized law enforcement inspection in the province.[15]
Secretary Yao Xiuxia (姚秀霞) and Deputy Secretary and Mayor Zhu Tao (朱涛), both members of the CCP Qixia City Committee, were removed from their posts by the provincial CCP committee due to neglect of responsibility in reporting the accident 30 hours late. [16]
See also
edit- 2010 Copiapó mining accident – Cave-in and miner rescue at a mine in Atacama Region, Chile
- 2018 Shandong mine collapse – Collapse of a mining tunnel in the Shandong province in China
- Gold mining – Process of extracting gold from the ground
- Gold mining in China – Overview of gold mining in the People's Republic of China
- Mine rescue – Rescue of persons trapped after mining accidents
- Mining accident – Accident occurring during the process of mining minerals
- Qixia, Shandong – County-level city in Shandong, People's Republic of China
- Rescue – Operations for life saving, removal from danger and liberation from restrain
References
edit- ^ "烟台通报金矿爆炸事故：事发企业存在迟报行为-中新网 [Yantai reported the accident: the company notification was late]". www.chinanews.com. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
- ^ "新华时评：迟报矿难，就是与人民为敌-中新网 [Xinhua Review: Reporting a mine disaster late is to be an enemy of the people]". www.chinanews.com. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
- ^ "刘家义、李干杰：不惜一切代价穷尽一切手段抢夺救援时间，争取被困矿工安全升井_中国山东网 [Liu Jiayi, Li Ganjie: At all costs, we will do everything possible to seize the rescue time and strive for the safe lift of the trapped miners.]". news.sdchina.com. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
- ^ "山东栖霞笏山金矿爆炸事故：救援情况复杂 难度较大 任务艰巨-中新网视频 [The rescue situation is complex and difficult]". www.chinanews.com. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
- ^ "山东栖霞笏山金矿事故救援进展：新增一支43人救援队伍-中新网 [A new 43-person rescue team has been added]". www.chinanews.com. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
- ^ 网易 (17 January 2021). "山东栖霞金矿爆炸事故最新进展：3号救生孔打通 [Latest developments: The 3rd life-saving hole is opened]". www.163.com. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
- ^ "山东笏山金矿救援现场再传佳讯！救生孔投放给养后，井下有人拽绳-新华网 [After the life-saving hole was put into the feed, someone pulled the rope underground]". www.xinhuanet.com. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
- ^ "山东事故金矿救援现场投放的给养被取走 井下传回纸条-中新网 [The feed delivered at the rescue site was taken away and the note was sent back underground]". www.chinanews.com. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
- ^ "国家卫生健康委快速派出紧急医疗救援专家组指导山东省烟台市笏山金矿爆炸事故卫生应急处置_部门政务_中国政府网 [The National Health And Wellness Commission quickly dispatched a team of experts on emergency medical assistance to guide health emergency response]". www.gov.cn. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
- ^ "四号钻孔接通电源实现井底照明 [4th drilling is powered on to achieve bottom lighting]". dzrb.dzng.com. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
- ^ "China rescues 11 miners after 14 days trapped underground". Al Jazeera. 24 January 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
- ^ 孙洁. "山东栖霞笏山金矿爆炸事故救援最新进展：已确认10名矿工遇难 [Latest developments: 10 miners have confirmed dead]". news.cctv.com. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
- ^ "山东栖霞金矿事故9名遇难矿工均因二次爆炸冲击遇难 [9 miners in the Qixia gold mine accident were killed because of the blast of the second explosion]". guancha.cn. 25 January 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
- ^ 央视 (13 January 2021). "山东烟台金矿爆炸事故企业责任人迟报 已被控制 [The late reporting by the company responsible person has been brought under control]". finance.sina.com.cn. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
- ^ "山东：全省即刻开展安全生产大检查-中国应急信息网 [Shandong: The province immediately carried out a major inspection of safe production]". www.emerinfo.cn. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
- ^ "山东栖霞市委书记、市长被免职 | 每经网 [The party secretary and mayor of Qixia City, Shandong Province, was removed from office]". www.nbd.com.cn. Retrieved 24 January 2021.