China says major coal mine accident deaths fall

BEIJING, Aug 7 (Reuters) The number of deaths in major coal mine accidents in China, home to the world's deadliest mining industry, fell almost 60 per cent in the first seven months of 2006 but 371 people still died, the government said today.

Accidents occur almost daily in China's coal-mining industry.

Last year, nearly 6,000 miners died in 3,300 blasts, floods and other accidents as mine owners push production beyond safety limits in the rush for soaring profits brought by booming demand.

In the January-July period this year, there were 19 coal mine accidents in which more than 10 people died, 11 less than the year-ago period, the State Administration of Work Safety said on its Web site.

It provided no further comment and did not have figures for accidents where fewer than 10 people died. It also provided no breakdown for accidents where more than 30 died.

China's mining industry is struggling to meet strong demand and high prices for coal -- which fuels about 70 percent of the country's energy consumption.

In the rush for profits, safety regulations are often ignored, production is pushed beyond limits and dangerous mines that have been shut down are reopened illegally.

Mine owners and officials have also covered up disasters and falsely reported lower casualty figures.

The government says it is serious about mine safety.

A court in June jailed six managers of a coal mine in far-west Xinjiang to up to six years for failing to prevent a gas blast last July that killed 83 people.

REUTERS SP ND1524