7 trapped in southwest China colliery accident

Seven people remain trapped while 266 others have successfully escaped after a coal mine accident in southwest China's Sichuan Province early on Tuesday morning, the provincial work safety administration said. The accident occurred around 1 a.m. at Shanmushu Coal Mine, which is owned by the Sichuan Coal Group Furong Company, in Gongxian County, when 273 miners were working in the pit, according to the provincial work safety administration. The nature of the accident and its cause are not yet known. As of 9:55 a.m., 266 miners have managed to escape while seven others are still underground, it said. The seven trapped miners are all members of a team that was draining gas from the shaft, according to the administration. More than 100 rescuers are working at the site. Shanmushu Coal Mine is a state-owned mine with an annual designed production capacity of 1.3 million tonnes.