North China's Hebei province will start a general overhaul of coal mining safety, as frequent fatal accidents hit the province over the past month.

The overhaul will be carried out in two phases, starting from Dec. 12 to January 29, 2006 to March 16 of next year, said deputy governor Guo Gengmao of the province at an urgent meeting on Sunday.

A special task force was set up at the meeting to carry out the overhaul mission, he said.

Guo ordered local officials to severely crack down on the illegal productions of coal mines and safeguard people's lives and properties, in a bid to ensure a harmonious atmosphere across the province.

Four major coal mine accidents occurred in succession from Nov. 6 to Dec. 7 in the province.

At 7:40 p.m. on Nov. 6 a gypsum mine collapsed in Shangwang village of Huining township in Xingtai county, damaging two other gypsum mines nearby, toppling a two-story building and leaving cracks on the ground. The mishap left 33 dead, in addition to four missing.

A flood that occurred at 5:00 a.m. on Nov. 19 in Yuanda Coal Mine in Xingtai city trapped and killed 14 miners underground.

Another flooding accident occurred on Nov. 24 at Gaocun colliery in Shangtuancheng village in Wu'an of Handan city, leaving 18 miners dead.

The latest deadly gas blast went off at 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 7 at the Liuguantun Coalmine in Kaiping District of Tangshan city. So far, 91 miners have been killed and 17 others are missing.

Source: Xinhua