Local police in Shanxi Province have caught the owner of the coal mine where an explosion had killed 105 and injured 18 earlier this month.
The explosion occurred at 11:15 pm on December 5 at the Xinyao Coal Mine in Hongtong County in the city of Linfen, where 128 miners were working in the shaft – far more than the maximum of 60 miners for one shift as stipulated by the Shanxi coal mine authority.
Police said they found and detained Xinyao coal mine owner Wang Donghai on Saturday, who went into hiding after the blast.
Wang Hongliang, the legal representative of Ruizhiyuan Coal Mining Co Ltd, which managed the coal mine, was also caught in Taiyuan, capital of Shanxi Province, on Friday.
The colliery managers reportedly delayed alerting the incident to authorities while sending another 37 workers down the shaft for rescue work.
Police have detained 35 people allegedly linked to the accident. The two Wangs went into hiding after the blast, causing difficulties for rescue operations.
The Chinese Ministry of Public Security issued a B-class warrant for the two men.
Meanwhile, local prosecutors have issued arrest warrants for 13 other people wanted in connection with the explosion.
Among them is Song Yuepeng, an official of the coal mine safety supervision bureau in Hongdong County. Song allegedly ignored the fact that the Xinyao Coal Mine was operated in an unapproved area. He was also accused for lax management.
Hao Heping, an inspector of the Linfen coal mine supervision bureau, was also on the list for allegedly failing to take any measures after he discovered the safety hazards in the mine.
（英语点津 Celene 编辑）
About the broadcaster:
Bernice Chan is a foreign expert at China Daily Website. Originally from Vancouver, Canada, Bernice has written for newspapers and magazines in Hong Kong and most recently worked as a broadcaster for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, producing current affairs shows and documentaries.
