28 officials held accountable for east China gold mine blast

A total of 45 people including 28 public officials have been held responsible for a gold mine blast that left 10 dead and one missing in the city of Qixia, east China’s Shandong Province.

The accident was caused by the illegal storage and use of explosives and improper operation at the pithead, according to a report from the investigation team.

The report also noted that Shandong Wucailong Investment Co, which owns the gold mine, and the city of Qixia had concealed and delayed the reporting of the accident.

Jia Qiaoyu, the company’s legal representative, is being investigated for criminal responsibility.

The cases against Yao Xiuxia, then secretary of the Qixia municipal Party committee, and Zhu Tao, then deputy secretary of the municipal Party committee and mayor of Qixia, have been filed for investigation by the public security organs over the delay and concealment in reporting the accident.

A total of 22 miners were trapped underground as a result of the mine blast on January 10 in Qixia, under the city of Yantai. Eleven were rescued after being trapped for two weeks, and one remains missing.