Deadly Mine Explosion, (Yawn)

I see so many of these reports on a daily basis in the news that I'm not even sure that it is really worth noting. But hey, twenty-seven people are twenty-seven people.

From AFP:

BEIJING (AFP) — Twenty-seven people were killed and six injured Thursday in a coal mine explosion in northeast China, state media said, the latest disaster to hit the nation's notoriously dangerous mining industry.

The gas blast occurred at a mine in the city of Fuxin in Liaoning province, one of China's main coal-producing areas, an official surnamed Li at the Fuxin local work safety bureau told AFP.

The official Xinhua news agency said 27 people had been confirmed killed as rescuers found the bodies of the last three missing miners, and six others were injured.

The explosion took place on Thursday morning when 41 miners were working in the mine, Xinhua said.

Read On

The article goes on to say:

Nearly 3,800 people died in Chinese coal mines last year, according to official figures, although independent monitors say the real figure is likely to be higher as many accidents are covered up.

So if you take 2007's 3,800 coal mining deaths divided by 365, you get an average of 10.41 deaths a day.

I suppose today's explosion which killed 27 isn't really that significant or out of the ordinary.