Toll hits 21 in N. China coal mine blast
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-03-15 22:20

Twenty-one miners have now been confirmed dead in the coal mine gas blast that occurred on Monday in Otog Banner in Ordos, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

The last body was recovered at around 3:25 p.m. on Wednesday. The 32-year-old miner, Hu Jianzhong, came from Shangcai County in Henan and two of his brothers were also killed in the blast, according to the local rescue headquarters.

The local government and departments are dealing with the appropriate compensation.

The accident occurred at 3:25 a.m. on Monday while 34 miners were working underground. Thirteen survived the accident, of which two were seriously injured.

Li Zhongfu, director of the Rongsheng Colliery, is in police custody and the coal mine's account and funds have been frozen. Li, aged 43, is a native of Jixi, Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.

The coal mine is privately-owned with 900,000 tons of annual production capacity.

Investigators found the mine was being operated without a production safety license.