Another tragedy has rocked China as a coal mine caught fire on Friday night, killing 21 workers. According to Xinhua News, the fire started at 11 p.m. at Xinghua mine in Jixi City, Heilongjiang Province. The mine is located near the border with Russia.

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According to reports, the local government said that the coal mine is operated by the state-owned Heilongjiang Longmay Mining Holding Group.

In a report by Tribune, the coal firm is said to be the biggest in northeastern China. However, it has been facing financial problems.

Thirty-eight miners were working at the area when the fire broke out. Out of the 38, only 16 workers were able to escape. The rest were unfortunately trapped inside the coal mine. Twenty-one people were confirmed dead while one is still missing.

The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.

A work safety employee said that rescuers were sent to the area to recover the dead bodies and search for the only person missing, according to Winnipeg Free Press.

China is the largest producer of coal in the world and one of its highest users. Reports indicate that up to 931 lives were claimed in mine accidents in China last year. The count is lower compared to the number of deaths in the previous years largely because more safety measures have been implemented to reduce casualties in mining accidents.

TagsJixi City, coal mine, China coal mine accident, Heilongjiang Longmay Mining Holding Group, #PrayForChina, Northeast China, Disaster, largest producer of coal