Local authorities in Yan'an City of northwest
China's Shaanxi
Province launched coal mine safety investigations yesterday
following the fatal colliery accident in Huangling County last week
that was covered up for days.
The city government said all coal mines found to
endanger safety would be instructed to halt production and those
who refuse will face lawsuits. The decree also calls for severe
penalties for mines operating illegally and owners of mines where
fatal accidents occur.
Officials participating in the safety inspection
will also be given harsh penalties if they are found to be involved
in dereliction of duty.
The order was issued following the gas blast last
Thursday at Qifenggouxi Coal Mine, which left 12 miners dead and
two others injured.
The tragedy was kept secret for four days as the
mine's management tried to settle it privately by offering 2.54
million yuan (US$306,600) in compensation to victims' families,
according to a source with the local production safety
department.
Local police have detained five people for covering
up the accident: the head of the coal mine, He Mingshan, deputy
heads in charge of production safety Zong Mingjun and Zhang Fayuan,
and two workers Chen Jianlong and Wang Yongjie, who were in charge
of gas inspection and safe production inspection.
Li Fengtao, deputy head of Huangling County Coal
Industry Administration, Xu Wenlong, head of the Coal Safety
Inspection Station, and Zong Mingxue, deputy head of Cangcun
Township, who inspected the mine after the accident but made a
false report, were suspended from their posts pending further
investigation.
A source from Yan'an's city government said the
probe into the cause of the accident will continue and those held
accountable for the explosion will be punished according to
law.
(Xinhua News Agency September 23, 2005)