By Xinhua
Taiyuan (China) : Prosecutors in northern China have issued arrest warrants against 13 people wanted in connection with a coal mine gas blast that killed 105 miners and left 18 others injured early this month.
The explosion occurred Dec 5 at Xinyao coal mine near Linfen city in Shanxi province. About 128 miners were working in the shaft at that time although only 60 miners are allowed in one shift.
An investigation by the provincial work safety authorities found that Fan Baoying and Liu Ting, the safety inspectors at the mine, managed by Ruizhiyuan Coal Mining Company had left their posts without permission that delayed reporting of the accident and subsequent rescue operation.
Eleven people, including the mine manager, vice manager, technicians and engineers, are wanted for alleged negligence of duty.
It was reported that the colliery managers delayed reporting the accident to local authorities while sending 37 more workers down the shaft for rescue operations.
Meanwhile, owner of the coalmine Wang Donghai, who had allegedly gone into hiding after the accident, was arrested Saturday.
This is believed to be the second deadliest mining accident of this year in China. In August, 181 miners were killed when heavy rains flooded two mines in eastern Shandong Province.