CHENGDE, Hebei, May 23 (Xinhuanet) -- The people responsible for the May 19 coal mine blast in north China's Hebei Province were detained by local police, said the source with the accident rescue headquarters Monday.

The blast in the Nuan'erhe Coal Mine in Chengde left 45 miners dead and five missing. The missing have a very slim chance of survival, said the rescuers.

Nuan'erhe Coal Mine Co. Ltd. staff who were responsible for the blast were detained for judicial investigation, said Fu Wencai, director of the provincial administration of work safety.

Located at Nanzhangzi Village in Bajia Township, the coal mine used to be state-owned, but was auctioned to the Beijing Guodian Zhongneng Electric Fuel Investment Co., Ltd. for 65 million yuan (about 7.8 million US dollars) in December 2003.