Survivors recall tragic moment in central China tin ore mine accident
Survivors recall tragic moment in central China tin ore mine accident
08:24, October 10, 2009 
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The 44-year-old man lay quietly on the bed in hospital, his legs wrapped in thick white gauze.
Tang Haixiong is among the five survivors in the tin ore mine accident in central China's Hunan Province, which killed 26 miners on Thursday. He was going to the shaft to mend the drill when the accident happened.
"We entered the lift at about 9 a.m., and I clearly remember that we had a stop halfway," he recalled, still unable to get out of the shadow of fear.
When the lift moved again, Tang felt that something was wrong. He grasped the railing tightly when the lift began plunging at about 9:15 a.m. because of brake failure.
"At that time, I heard everyone screaming," he said.
He heard a big noise when the cage hit the ground. Many people fell down.
"I felt that my legs and spine were broken, and the pain was barely tolerable." But Tang was conscious at that moment, and he told rescuers to move the bodies on his legs.
The unlucky Lu Xiong, 31, was on his first shift after a three-month sick leave.
"It was all of a sudden," he nagged.
When the accident happened, he yelled "hold the railing".
"But it was too fast to react," said the man.
He woke up after the plunge, seeing two of his colleagues lyingnear him.
"I tried to bring them up, but they didn't seem to be alive...and I found my legs broken..." Tears welled into his eyes.
According to Liu Chaoxian, director of the orthopaedics department of the hospital, the survivors had one thing in common: they all held tight the railing when the accident happened.
"The injured had their legs, shoulder bones and spines broken, and some of them had injuries in the viscera," he said.
The survivors were all in stable condition, but they were not out of danger yet.
"It is paramount to save their lives, and we will try not to amputate them," said the doctor.
Families of the 26 miners killed could each receive up to 350,000 yuan (51,470 U.S. dollars) in compensation.
An investigation participated by experts from prestigious colleges was carried out.
Source:Xinhua
Tang Haixiong is among the five survivors in the tin ore mine accident in central China's Hunan Province, which killed 26 miners on Thursday. He was going to the shaft to mend the drill when the accident happened.
"We entered the lift at about 9 a.m., and I clearly remember that we had a stop halfway," he recalled, still unable to get out of the shadow of fear.
When the lift moved again, Tang felt that something was wrong. He grasped the railing tightly when the lift began plunging at about 9:15 a.m. because of brake failure.
"At that time, I heard everyone screaming," he said.
He heard a big noise when the cage hit the ground. Many people fell down.
"I felt that my legs and spine were broken, and the pain was barely tolerable." But Tang was conscious at that moment, and he told rescuers to move the bodies on his legs.
The unlucky Lu Xiong, 31, was on his first shift after a three-month sick leave.
"It was all of a sudden," he nagged.
When the accident happened, he yelled "hold the railing".
"But it was too fast to react," said the man.
He woke up after the plunge, seeing two of his colleagues lyingnear him.
"I tried to bring them up, but they didn't seem to be alive...and I found my legs broken..." Tears welled into his eyes.
According to Liu Chaoxian, director of the orthopaedics department of the hospital, the survivors had one thing in common: they all held tight the railing when the accident happened.
"The injured had their legs, shoulder bones and spines broken, and some of them had injuries in the viscera," he said.
The survivors were all in stable condition, but they were not out of danger yet.
"It is paramount to save their lives, and we will try not to amputate them," said the doctor.
Families of the 26 miners killed could each receive up to 350,000 yuan (51,470 U.S. dollars) in compensation.
An investigation participated by experts from prestigious colleges was carried out.
Source:Xinhua
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