Chinese mine boss drowns himself after deadly collapse
In this Dec. 25 photo released by China’s Xinhua News Agency, a trapped miner is rescued from a collapsed gypsum mine in Pingyi County, east China’s Shandong Province. Chinese rescuers pulled more than 10 workers to safety and located another workers who were trapped after a mine collapsed in the eastern province of Shandong, state media said Saturday. (Guo Xulei/Xinhua via AP)
BEIJING » The owner of a Chinese gypsum mine drowned Sunday after jumping into a well in an apparent suicide during rescue efforts for 17 workers still trapped two days after the mine collapsed and killed one person, state media said.
Quoting a morning briefing by the rescue command center, state media said Ma Congbo, president of Yurong Commerce and Trade Ltd. Co., was assisting with rescue efforts on Sunday morning when he jumped into a mine well and drowned.
Since the mine collapse on Friday, rescuers have pulled 11 workers to safety and recovered one body. Another 17 miners are yet to be found.
Gypsum is a soft sulfate mineral that is widely used in construction.
Chinese authorities have typically meted out harsh punishments, including jail sentences, to company management and local work safety officials following major work safety disasters. Still, lack of regulatory oversight prevails, and cost-conscious management fails to pay enough heed to work safety.
The mine collapse came just days after a landslide from a man-made pileup of construction waste in the southern city of Shenzhen killed one person and left another 75 missing and presumed dead.
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Authorities have ruled that the landslide was not a geological disaster but a work safety incident, adding to China’s list of major man-made disasters in recent years.
In a rare move, Shenzhen’s top officials, including its party chief and mayor, bowed deeply at a press conference as an apology.
22 responses to “Chinese mine boss drowns himself after deadly collapse”
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He may have had his faults as a mine owner, but at least Ma Congbo understood the real meaning of “taking full responsibility.” Contrast that to how responsibility is demonstrated by a lot of politicians and corporate executives in Hawaii and the mainland.
No he didn’t. He bailed knowing that the ‘Party’ would scapegoat and execute him anyway. If he truly wanted to ‘repent’ maybe he should have exposed corrupt regulatory officials who, apparently throughout that country, allow slipshod projects to proceed as long as the key players get kickbacks. The Chinese system is far more corrupt than anything in Hawaii. We are not perfect, but at least citizens have the right to sue, vote, and protest. By and large, our building regulations work, we have outstanding first responders, and there is some accountability. This man ended his life because he knew the truth; and would not share it with the public. Taking full responsibility is being there so families and other stakeholders can find out facts and gain some form of closure.
Would he, and could he, have actually done what you suggest? If the PRC system is as corrupt as you say, with few civil rights compared to ours, perhaps he did all he could given the context of the society he is a part of. From the point of view of the average Chinese citizen, is having the State execute him sending a better message than taking his own life?
As you would like to believe. Plutocracy prevails in U.S. as it does in China, else why does 1% of the U.S. population own 50% of the wealth? At least, the wealthy are not immune to prosecution or incarceration as they are in U.S. The name Pflueger mean anything to you?
And just how long was Jimmy Pflueger incarcerated, that is excluding time spent in the comfort of his home? Care to guess?
A citizen of China comes to Hawaii and protests Pflueger. A citizen of the USA goes to China and protests mine safety. Who is most likely to be questioned, much less arrested by ‘authorities’. Incidentally, the people damaged by Pflueger can have days in court. For those who lost loved ones in China as a result of this disaster, do they have legal recourse? Big difference, plutocrats notwithstanding.
geralddeheer you nailed it!
Yeah our failed politicians should follow suit. Include despicable attorneys too.
If you want to be a vigilante, why not include all the citizens of US who promote chicanery in China by buying all their goods. Also, politicians are there because we elect them in. So you want all the voters who don’t agree with your polit iCal stance to commit suicide? Now, if members of oposing parties thought like you, there will be no Americans left, would there?
To compare the irregularities in modern China to that of USA shows your total ignorance. Rules of law and industrial regulations in USA are among the most stringent in the world and,to a large extent, effective. Yes, I’ve been in China many times, done business there, our company had regional offices in Beijing and Hong Kong so my perspectives are based on experience. America is still the greatest nation on earth for many reasons, including business ethics that are so far ahead of China. Actually spend some time in China and then tell me you disagree.
Too much pride. Something that America is waning in, less and less.
You mistake shame with pride. Chinese have no pride in workmanship, quality, safe workplace, and work ethics. How many examples do you need to see that?
The Chinese actually do make high quality goods if the market demands it. That they often don’t is more a reflection of what buyers will put up with and what they’re willing to pay.
Mostly not true. Cheap Chinese labor put together “quality” products based on foreign intellectual property, foreign design, and foreign manufacturing specs. Almost everything made in China without foreign help is carp, highlighted by thousands of counterfeits of everything. Business ethics is not something they adhere to.
I see it at every Chinese restaurant. Quality and quantity.
oxtail01’s bias is shining bright.
IRT oxtail01, Like!
In America, he would have done it the American way. Take them to court.
He brought shame to his family?
The views expressed are varied and any one could be valid, yet only the deceased owner knows. Previous mine disasters have indicated that in most cases involved the breakdown of safety precaution or rules. Often in the pursuit of the bottom line safety precautions are overlooked or ignored. Odds were not in his favor?
I would guess it was overwhelming guilt and possible shame upon his family that lead him to drown himself. I certainly would call that “taking full responsibility” for this accident.
Committing suicide to avoid the firing squad is not “taking responsibility”.