'Heartbroken and shameful' Shanxi officials say 35 already detained over tragedy
A State Council investigation team was established yesterday to look into a coal mine explosion in Shanxi province that claimed 105 lives - the second-deadliest mining disaster so far this year.
At a press conference announcing the investigation team, Li Tiantai, mayor of Linfen city, expressed his deepest condolences and apologised to the deceased's families for his failure to carry out his duty.
'As the head of the city, I haven't carried out my job properly and failed the trust that the party and the people placed in me,' Mr Li said. 'My responsibility for this cannot be shrugged off. I felt very heartbroken and shameful.'
Xinhua reported that the blast happened at 11.15pm last Wednesday at the Xinyao coal mine, a village-run firm in Hongtong county, Linfen city, while 128 miners were working in the shaft. Regulations stated a maximum of 60 people were permitted to work there. Of the 60 rescued miners, 18 were injured, including four in serious condition, it said, adding that the mine's licence has been suspended and its bank accounts frozen.
Li Yizhong, head of the State Administration of Work Safety Supervision who is chairman of the investigation team, condemned the colliery managers for the delay in reporting the accident to local authorities while sending 37 workers - 15 of them were killed - to the shaft to carry out rescue operations without protective gear.
While the five-hour delay in reporting the accident contributed to the huge death toll, Li Yizhong said it was also due to various illegal mining activities carried out by Ruizhiyuan Mining that included overproduction and mining in an unauthorised coal seam that did not have ventilation or a monitoring system.
