The death toll rose to 33 from a coal mine gas leak in southwest China's Guizhou Province, after rescuers retrieved another body from underground Saturday, Xinhua reported. But two other miners were still missing, a spokesman for the rescue headquarters said. "Rescuers are still searching the missing people despite a long, thick layer of coal to be cleared away in the tunnel underground," he said. Rescuers said that the missing miners had a slim chance of survival. Relatives of most of the victims in the accident received 200,000 yuan (26,666.7 U.S. dollars) of compensation for each victim. The gas leak at Qunli Coal Mine in Nayong County occurred at 1:44 p.m. Thursday when 86 miners were working in the shaft. Fifty-two were rescued, but one of them died after emergency treatment. Investigations into the cause of the accident have been underway. Qunli Coal Mine is a licensed colliery with an annual production capacity of 300,000 tons. Following the accident, the provincial authorities ordered all local coal mines in the county to suspend production to root out hidden safety loopholes.
