Explosion at illegal mine kills 24
19 February 2008
An explosion at an illegal mine disguised as a wild boar farm killed 24 people, AP reported, citing state media. The explosion in Wu'an, Hebei province occurred on Sunday, but the local government was not informed of the accident until Monday. The cause of the explosion is not known. More than 30 people were initially trapped after the explosion and a rescue operation lasted until just after midnight on Tuesday. Five of the survivors were injured and in stable condition at a hospital. China's mining industry averages 13 deaths each day from fires, explosions and floods.