Three Chinese Nationals Die In Coal Mine Fire

KUCHING (Sarawak, Malaysia), March 31 (Bernama) -- Three men, all Chinese nationals, died of suspected smoke inhalation after a fire broke out inside the Lucky Hill coal mine in Abok, near Pantu, about 80 km from Sri Aman Friday, police confirmed Saturday. Sri Aman district police chief DSP Mat Jusoh Mohamad said the trio, believed to be senior miners working for the joint venture between Malaysia and South Korea, were identified as Huang Jin Hua, 50, Deng Jian Hua, 49 and Teng Xian Xai, 43. "They were attached to the Zhongding International Engineering Co Ltd based in Nanchang, Jiangxi province in China," he said when contacted by Bernama here. He said initial investigation revealed that they were among a team of five, including technical and security engineers, who had gone inside the tunnel to assess if it was safe for the workers to resume operation after the fire was first detected at about 8 am. The second incident occurred at about 3 pm. He said Teng died at Serian Hospital and the two others at Timberland Medical Centre here. Eleven Chinese nationals were also admitted to Timberland Medical Centre and two to the Sarawak General Hospital here, he said. Eight workers were initially injured when the fire first broke out. -- BERNAMA