Rescuers rushed on Tuesday to save up to 22 miners trapped underground for nine days after an explosion at a gold mine in eastern China’s Shandong province, state media reported.
Porridge and isolation blankets were sent after essential supplies of food, water and medicine were delivered to the arrested men on Monday, while rescue workers were trying to cut metal cages used to transport miners and ore that blocked the well.
Rescuers realized there were survivors underground after they felt people pulling iron ropes that were lowered into the mine, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Sunday.
A note sent by the miners on a bottom line of the mine on Monday morning said at least 12 of them were still alive, but there was no air circulation. They also warned of a large amount of groundwater where they were trapped.
“Please don’t stop the rescue,” said the handwritten note, according to the Beijing News. “We have hope.”
The miners said they did not know what happened to the rest of their colleagues. A total of 22 workers were trapped at the mine after the January 10 explosion.
Rescuers were also able to hold two phone conversations with the miners after a phone cord was installed on Monday, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said.
The cause of the accident was not disclosed, but the mine was under construction at the time of the explosion, the Associated Press reported.
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Two senior local party officials were fired after the accident last week, according to the Shandong provincial government.
Increased supervision has improved safety in China’s mining industry, which used to record an average of 5,000 deaths a year. However, demand for coal and precious metals continues to cause cuts and accidents.
In December, 23 people died after being trapped in a mine in the southwestern city of Chongqing.
Dawn Liu reported from Beijing, Yuliya Talmazan from London.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
