5 Officials sacked following deadly coal mine blast in NW China

Five officials have been removed from posts after a coal mine gas explosion killed 11 people and injured two in northwest China's Shaanxi Province on Oct. 16, the local government said Saturday. The officials, who were either in charge of the coal mine industry or workplace safety, were blamed of negligence that caused the deadly blast, the city government of Tongchuan said in a press release. Among them was Ren Baolou, chief of the city's coal mine administration, and four local officials from Yaozhou District, where the explosion happened. Altogether 21 miners were working in the pit when the blast went off around midday last Sunday at Tianyu Coal Mine in Zhaojin Township of Yaozhou District. Of the 10 people who survived, two suffered slight injuries. Family members of the victims are still in Tongchuan to negotiate compensation deals. The Tianyu Coal Mine reports an annual output of 150,000 tonnes.