Twenty-one officials have been punished for last month's coal
mine gas explosion in Henan,
the central province's Administration of Work Safety said on
Friday.
The blast, which occurred whilst 24 miners were underground,
left eleven dead and nine wounded at Qiaoyan Coal Mine in Chengguan
Township, Yiyang County on January 21.
Representatives from the work safety administration said
decisions over punishments had been made by the provincial
government and approved by central government departments.
The total economic loss caused by the accident was estimated at
2.35 million yuan (US$280,000).
According to official sources, the police are still in pursuit
of Chui Genzhu, the owner of the mine who fled after the
incident.
Senior officials from the township, the county mineral bureau
and other government departments were dismissed, and several others
given warnings.
The coal mine has been permanently closed and demolished.
(Xinhua News Agency February 5, 2005)