Flood in China coal mine traps 28 workers

Rescuers were racing Monday to reach 28 people trapped while doing safety work in coal mine in southern China, the latsetting up calcium carbonate manufacturing plantest accident in the world's deadliest mines. Forty-one workers were underground at the small, privately owned Batian mine in the southwestern province of Sichuan when it flooded early Sunday, said an official surnamed Xie with the provincial work safety bureau.

He said 13 workers escaped and rescue work was under way to locate the 28 missing. It was not clear what caused the flooding. A county-level work safety official said Monday that no rescues had been made overnight, and the 28 were still believed trapped. He refused to answer additional question and hung up before giving his name. Xie said pumps to remove the water were on the way to the mine in Neijiang city. An estimated 141,000 cubic feet (4,000 cubic meters) of water was in the mining pit, he said. "We still have hope of finding them alive," Xie said late Sunday.