A MINING district in the southwestern Guangxi region has been ordered to close for renovations after at least 77 people were killed in a blast this month.
A special investigation team with officials from the Labour and Agriculture Ministry is now investigating the cause of the explosion which caused economic losses of about 3.54 million yuan (HK$3.17 million).
The pro-China Hong Kong Commercial Daily reported yesterday that Beijing had expressed special concern about the blast which took place at 11.55 pm on Tuesday last week in a dynamite warehouse of the Kenpeng Mine in the Beishan mining district in Guangxi's northern Huanjiang county.
A team set up by the Labour and Agriculture Ministry rushed to the site and would investigate.
A two-week safety inspection would also be conducted on all industrial and mining enterprises in the Hechi region where Huanjiang is located, the report said.
All mines without permits would be closed while those which had failed to implement safety measures would not be allowed to operate.
A medical official from Huanjiang said yesterday the death toll was expected to rise as about 90 of those still in hospital were seriously injured.