[Broadcast on 21 October 2004]
At around 10 pm on 20 October, a deadly gas explosion took place at Daping Coalmine, a mine owned by Zhengzhou Coal Industry Group in Xinmi City, Henan Province, when 446 miners were working underground. According to the State Administration of Work Safetys announcement the next morning, only 298 escaped, 148 were missing, of whom 56 were immediately confirmed to be dead. China Labour Bulletin called the control room of Daping Coalmine on 21 October morning and a staff member there told us that the death toll has risen to 60. Most of the deceased miners were temporary migrant workers.
Staff of the Control Room:
The rescue work is in process.
Han Dongfang [Han]:
How deep is the site of the explosion?
Staff:
Well, I dont know the exact location yet, but we have found 60.
Han:
60?
Staff:
I mean we have found 60 bodies; most of them are temporary workers.
Han:
How are they different from contract workers?
Staff:
Their Hukou [Note 1] (residential status) is registered in their hometowns and contract workers have their Hukou registered with the mine.
Han:
Does it mean temporary workers are from the rural areas?
Staff:
Right! Thats it. They got their Hukou in the rural areas.
A nurse from Zhengmei Hospitals No.2 Surgical Ward told us that the three patients in her ward were not seriously injured.
Nurse:
Yes, we have three [patients] here. Their conditions are not too bad.
Han:
Not too serious?
Nurse:
Yes.
Han:
How did they get injured?
Nurse:
All of them are poisoned by carbon monoxide.
Han:
Are they conscious now?
Nurse:
Yeah.
A staff member of Daping Coalmines Safety Supervision Department told us that the high gas density might be related to the problem of poor ventilation and gas monitoring system. The explosion might be caused by the ignition of gas in the depreciated electrical equipment.
Staff of Safety Supervision Department:
It should be [the problem of] the ventilation system.
Han:
Why do you think so?
Staff:
Because the gas is centrally volatilized and that is controlled by the ventilation system.
Han:
So was it the vent?
Staff:
Yes.
Han:
Was the ventilation system outdated?
Staff:
It was replaced in 2002, May 2002, so it was not that old. I think it is more a problem of management, I think so. The management of supervision, production
Well, as the exact cause hasnt been found, I cant really say what went wrong.
Han:
The explosion happened at 10:
40 last night. Was it a new shift?
Staff:
Well
basically [workers from] many departments in fact went down to work in the pit at 10 or 11 P.M.
Han:
Dont miners check the gas level every time before they get into the pit?
Staff:
Hmm
yes.
Han:
And doesnt the detecting device, if it is working, warn you if the gas density has reached the point of explosion?
Staff:
If problems occurred in a specific part of the facility, it would need to be checked by the miners and no equipment can detect it. If the gas density in a specific part of the facility was too high, the monitoring device might not be able to detect any possible ignition.
Han:
The high density of gas was one of the reasons caused the blast, but still there ought to be an ignition somewhere, any idea where it was from?
Staff:
I dont know. My colleagues are discussing it, but we still havent reached any conclusion.
Han:
How about any problems with the switches or worn-out cables?
Staff:
We have some people specially assigned to check the cables and switches down there.
Han:
Is it possible that someone smoked down there?
Staff:
No, absolutely not! It may be like what you have said. The problem came from the detection devices; it could be the detection devices or something else.
A staff member from the Daping Mine Trade Union told CLB that the union staffs were busy with consoling the victims families. Some families who live far away are on their way to the coalmine.
Trade Union:
We have all gone to receive the families and meet them. I dont know any news, lots of news is blocked, you know curfew has been placed and nobody could get in [the mine area]. Nobody is allowed to get in the park, the square [of the Pingmo Village, where the mine is located] and some of the office buildings.
Han:
Where are the families staying?
Trade Union:
There are reception stations, such as the common room of the trade union, altogether several places. Some families have arrived but some not. They come from Nanyang, Zhoukou and Xinyang, and some are on their way to here.
Miner Zhou Rangyus wife, said she had been waiting for the mining companys call for the whole day. Yet, neither the mining company nor the trade union talked to her.
Mrs Zhou:
Yes, they asked me to wait at home.
Han:
Has the mining company called you?
Mrs Zhou:
No.
Han:
Not even a word after the whole day?
Mrs Zhou:
No.
Han:
Have you received any explanation or feedback?
Mrs Zhou:
No, nothing.
Han:
Nothing?
Mrs Zhou:
Right. The mine has been blocked. Nobody could get in, and when I called, the person answered the call simply said
Wait for our call at home.
Han:
Has anyone from the mines trade union visited you?
Mrs Zhou:
No.
Han:
So what are you doing now?
Mrs Zhou:
Nothing I can do. Im just waiting here.
Mrs Zhou recalled that her husband, who used to be a farmer, only became a miner because the coalmine took over their land. He could earn only up to 1,000 Yuan per month, even he would work everyday.
Han:
How long has your husband been a miner?
Mrs Zhou:
Four to five years.
Han:
Four to five years?
Mrs Zhou:
Yes.
Han:
Why did he become a miner?
Mrs Zhou:
He had to support the family.
Han:
Didnt you have your farmland?
Mrs Zhou:
No, it was taken away for building houses. More than 60 families land was taken away in a land seizure program. We dont even have a place to live.
Han:
No place to live?
Mrs Zhou:
Right.
Han:
Where are you living now?
Mrs Zhou:
We have been living in other peoples place for some months.
Han:
Did the mining company arrange another house for you?
Mrs Zhou:
No.
Han:
How old is your husband?
Mrs Zhou:
40-something.
Han:
How many children do you have?
Mrs Zhou:
Four daughters. The eldest one is 20.
Han:
And the youngest?
Mrs Zhou:
12, 13.
Han:
How many hours did your husband work per day?
Mrs Zhou:
Eight hours.
Han:
Did he get day-off at weekends?
Mrs Zhou:
No, his wage was on hour basis.
Han:
How much could he earn if he didnt take any day-off?
Mrs Zhou:
A month of continuous work without any day-off could bring in 700 or 800. Sometimes he got 800 or 900 and at most 1,000 [Yuan].
A staff member of Zhengmeis Control Room told us before the broadcast was aired at 8.30 pm that they have found 62 bodies by 7 pm, and 86 miners were still missing.
Control Room:
We havent got any information about the other missing miners. We have just found 62.
Han:
You mean you have found 62 corpses.
Control Room:
Yes, and another 86.
Han:
Another 86 yet to be found?
Control Room:
Yes, exactly.
Han:
When did you get these figures?
Control Room:
At around 7 pm.
Han:
Around 7 pm?
Control Room:
Right.
Han:
Do you think it is still possible to find any of these 86 missing miners alive?
Control Room:
I think there is still hope.
Han:
How far are they below from the surface of the ground?
Control Room:
Quite far. More than 2,000 metres.
Han:
More than 2,000 metres?
Control Room:
Right.
Han:
How far are the rescuers from there then?
Control Room:
The rescuers
I dont know how long they have dug, so I cant tell how far they are from each other.
Han:
Cant you guess when they could reach them [the miners]?
Control Room:
No, its difficult to say.
Note 1:
The hukou registration system divides the Chinese population into urban residents and the agricultural population, whereas the later as far fewer rights than the former. Only under rare circumstances, ones inherited hukou status could be changed. In Mas revisions (1994) of the official documents, for one to change from agricultural to non-agricultural status, one must hold an employment certificate from an urban employment department, or be enrolled in a university, or have been granted permission by the authorities of urban household registration in the place of destination, which seldom happened to the general agricultural population.
Ma, X. (1994). Changes in the Pattern of Migration in Urban China, In L.H.Day & X. Ma (Ed), Migration and Urbanization in China (pp. 193-216). New York: M.E.Sharpe, Inc.