Four more workers killed in coal mine fire accident in China

BEIJING: Four more workers were today killed in a fire that broke out in a coal mine in northeast China's Liaoning Province, taking the death toll to 17.

The fire broke out yesterday afternoon at Xingli coal mine in Huludao City.

23 miners trapped in the mine were lifted, 13 of them died while the remaining 10 were rescued and hospitalised, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Later, another four miners were lifted but succumbed to their injuries after they were admitted to the hospital, the agency reported.

Fire was caused by electric welding, officials said.

This was the second mining accident in as many days.

Earlier this week, 17 workers were trapped in a coal mine in China after an explosion.

Fifty people were working under the shaft when the explosion took place. Thirty three managed to escape after the accident.