The Sunjiawan mine disaster () was a mine disaster that occurred on 14 February 2005 in Fuxin city,

Liaoning ) , image_skyline = , image_alt = , image_caption = Clockwise: Mukden Palace in Shenyang, Xinghai Square in Dalian, Dalian coast, Yalu River at Dandong , image_map = Liaoning in China (+all claims hatched).svg , ...

province, in the northeastern part of the

People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

. Initial reports indicated that at least 214

coal miners People have worked as coal miners for centuries, but they became increasingly important during the Industrial Revolution when coal was burnt on a large scale to fuel stationary and locomotive engines and heat buildings. Owing to coal's strategic ...

were killed, making it the worst mining disaster in China in at least 15 years. The disaster was a

gas explosion A gas explosion is the Combustion, ignition of a mixture of air and flammable gas, typically from a gas leak. In household accidents, the principal explosive gases are those used for heating or cooking purposes such as natural gas, methane, propan ...

that occurred about 3:50 p.m. local time at the Sunjiawan colliery of the Fuxin Coal Industry Group in the city of Fuxin, about 242m (794 feet) underground. Twenty-two people were injured. The explosion reportedly occurred about ten minutes after an

earthquake An earthquakealso called a quake, tremor, or tembloris the shaking of the Earth's surface resulting from a sudden release of energy in the lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, from those so weak they ...

shook the mine.Chinese mine explosion kills 203
BBC news, 15 February 2005

References

Sunjiawan mine disaster 2005 disasters in China Disasters in Liaoning Coal mining disasters in China {{Energy-stub

See also

References