(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-01-11 21:20

TAIYUAN -- Nineteen people were put on trial on Friday over a coal mine gas blast that killed 105 miners and injured 18 others in North China's Shanxi Province last December.

The accused included colliery managers with the Ruizhiyuan Coal Industrial Co Ltd, owner of the Xinyao Coal Mine where the accident happened. They were charged with illegal mining, illegal trade of dynamite, tax evasion and cover-up, according to the indictment submitted by the Procuratorates of Linfen City.

Another eight people, including local government officials charged with dereliction of duty and harboring the suspects, will be put on trial in a few days.

The explosion occurred on December 5 when 128 miners were working in the shaft, far more than the maximum 60 specified for one shift as approved by the Shanxi coal mine authority.