Work place accidents claimed 18,501 lives in China in the first quarter, down 7.6 percent from the same period last year, the State Administration of Work Safety announced Tuesday.
The total of 97,991 work place accidents in the first three months was 17,163 fewer than the first quarter last year, a drop of 14.9 percent, said administration officials at a press conference.
During that time, 509 people died in 307 coal mine accidents, compared with 584 people from the same period last year. The number of coal mine accidents in the first quarter in 2008 stood at 362.
Although the number of coal mine accident victims declined, a coal mine gas explosion in northern Shanxi Province on Feb. 22 killed 78 people.
Twenty of the country's 32 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, including Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai and Guangdong,reported no serious work place accidents, officials said. Source:Xinhua
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