Mine owners arrested over 'cover-up'
Two mine owners have been arrested in Hebei for allegedly trying to cover up a deadly accident by cremating the victims and paying their families to keep quiet.
The accident at the Handan coal mine on June 3 killed at least 12 workers, but only one death was reported to authorities, Xinhua reported yesterday.
Mine owners Ma Xuelin and Ma Dengfeng were arrested along with a 'third official' on charges of being responsible for the accident, in which the miners were reportedly killed by poisonous gas.
Authorities were also searching for the mine's vice-director and other workers suspected of being involved in covering up the deaths. Other mine officials are said to be under police surveillance.
Police say the mine owners plotted to arrange treatment for injured miners themselves, instead of sending them to hospitals, and also arranged to have the victims' bodies taken out of town for cremation, Xinhua said.
