Six safety officials sentenced to jail for mine blast claiming 105 lives in N China

TAIYUAN, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Six safety watchdog officials were sentenced to two to eight years in jail for a coal mine blast that killed 105 miners and injured 18 others in north China's Shanxi Province in December last year, the local authority said.

Shi Jiqing, deputy head of the Hongtong County Work Safety Bureau, was sentenced to three and a half years in jail for dereliction of duty. Song Yuepeng, head of the Zuomu branch of the bureau, was sentenced to eight years in jail for dereliction of duty and taking bribes, according to the ruling of the Hongtong County People's Court on Wednesday.

Liu Ting and Fan Baoying, safety supervisors in the mine accredited to the bureau, were sentenced to three and a half years, and two years in jail respectively.

Hao Heping, head of the Zuomu branch of Linfen municipal coal mine safety watchdog, and safety supervisor Ma Haiqiang were sentenced to three and a half years in jail, according to the court.

In late February, three people were sentenced to life imprisonment for the blast.

The three are legal representative Wang Hongliang, investor Wang Donghai of Ruizhiyuan Coal Mining Co. Ltd., and Kong Huiping,a manager in charge of production of Xinyao Coal Mine managed by the company, according to the ruling of a public trial held in a stadium in Linfen City on Feb. 24.

A total of 13 other managers, including the colliery manager Gao Jianmin, vice manager Qin Sanshun, were also given jail terms ranging from one year to 20 years, said the city court.

The company was fined 185.2 million yuan (26 million U.S. dollars) for illegal trade of explosives, illegal operation of an unproved coal bed and evading tax.

The explosion took place at 11:15 p.m. on Dec. 5 at Xinyao Coal Mine, Hongtong County, when 128 miners were working in the shaft, far more than the maximum of 60 miners for one shift as approved by Shanxi coal mine authority.

The accident left 105 people dead, eight injured and also caused an economic loss of 42 million yuan (5.9 million U.S. dollars).