Chinese authorities have confirmed that 35 people died in a northern
China coal mine blast that was covered up for almost three months.
A
spokesman for China's workplace safety agency Huang Yi told reporters
Friday that 25 officials were fired over the cover-up and 22 others
were prosecuted. Police also detained three brothers who own the
mine.
The explosion in the mine in Yuxian County in Hebei
province took place on July 14 when explosives illegally stored in
the pit ignited.
China's official news agency Xinhua reports
that the mine owners tried to cover up the accident, destroying the
bodies and hiding evidence of the explosion. It says they also tried
to silence the victims' relatives with bribes and threats.
But
some relatives complained to the central government in Beijing and
reported the accident on the Internet, prompting an investigation.
The
case first came to light on October 7 after the State Administration of
Work Safety announced it was conducting an investigation.
China's
coal mines are among the world's deadliest, with numerous accidents
occurring in small mines with low safety standards, or in mines
operating illegally.
Some information for this report was provided by AP.
