A coal mine accident that killed six and trapped a further three in Central China's Hunan Province last week angered watchdogs in charge of work safety and women's protection yesterday.

Unlike ordinary workplace accidents, four women employees were found among the victims of the fatal gas explosion at Dongtang Coal Mine in Maoyi Township in Hunan's Lengshuijiang, reported Xinhua. Five miners, including two further females, managed to escape the accident.

The missing miners were unlikely to survive the tragedy as the ventilation system was ruined and tunnels blocked, while gas remained dense in the pit, rescuers said on Sunday.

China's laws on labour and mine safety forbids women from working in shafts, said officials in charge of work safety.

"According to the rules on the protection of female employees, the employment of women in pits is banned, alongside other physically-intensive or taboo labour," said an official surnamed Wang with the All-China Women's Federation yesterday.

Wang told reporters that her federation, as well as other labour protection organizations, are trying to lobby the legislative bodies to amend the current laws and regulations to better protect the interests of women workers.

Before the accident, the mine was forced to suspend production after failing to applying for a work safety certificate early this year.

Source: China Daily