He works at (or down) the pit.

But we owe it to the men underground that in undertaking the rescue we do so in a way that doesn't endanger their lives any further.

"At that time, power supply underground was cut off and we had to walk, " Xue said.

He sat by the window ruminating on recent underground accidents.

Union officials say that since 2008 at least five miners have died at the mine's underground sections due to accidents, the latest being last month.