Two local officials have been fired after Tuesday's deadly coal mine blast in central China's Henan Province. The accident left 42 people dead and 37 trapped underground. Meanwhile, vice premier Zhang Dejiang has arrived in Ping-dingshan to inspect the rescue operation.
Deputy head of Xinhua District, Ping-dingshan city, Qi Tongyan, and Zhang Xizhi, a coal industry administration official of the city, were dismissed from their posts Tuesday afternoon.
The accident has also caught the attention of top leaders, including President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao. Vice Premier, Zhang Dejiang, arrived at the scene of the accident shortly after the incident occurred.
Vice premier Zhang Dejiang said, "The top priority is rescuing trapped workers and minimizing the casualties."
The Director of the State Administration of Work Safety, Luo Lin, also led a team to Ping-dingshan to oversee rescue work and investigate the accident.
A preliminary investigation has indicated the explosion was triggered by a premature return to mining following an overhaul.
Local authorities have frozen the mine's bank account and its owners are being held in custody.
Meanwhile, the city government has suspended work at all of the city's 157 coal mines.
A total of 93 people were working in the pit when the accident happened. 14 of them managed to escape.
(CCTV September 9, 2009)
