Officials charged over fatal mine collapse
A deputy mayor is among 30 people who have been punished for their roles in the collapse of a mine in northern China which killed 33 people, state media said today.
Dai Zhanyin, vice mayor of Xintai, a city in Hebei province, and 15 other officials face warnings, demotions, dismissal and prosecution for breaching production safety rules, the Xinhua News Agency said.
The mine owner, Zhang Yukui, and 14 other employees were also charged with negligence, Xinhua said.
The Kangli mine collapsed in November 2005, damaging two other gypsum mines nearby and toppling a two-storey building.
The accident killed 33 people and injured 40.
Investigators found that the three mines were operating illegally and were operating after being told to shut down for a safety overhaul, Xinhua said.
