Eight killed in covered up China mine flooding

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-01-24 14:58

SHUOZHOU - At least eight people were confirmed dead in a coal mine flood accident that was concealed by the owners last month in north China's Shanxi Province, the local government said Saturday.

A government investigation, involving more than 100 police officers, discovered that seven workers killed in the accident had been cremated and buried by family members, according to the government of Shuozhou city.

A body, whose identity is still unconfirmed, was recovered on January 16 in the mine shaft.

A pit of Xinzhuang Coal Mining Company, based in Shanyin County, was flooded on December 5. However, the company covered up the information about the accident and did not report to the authorities. They even transferred the dead bodies to other places, chief of the mine Zhang Yudong confessed to the investigators.

Miners and their relatives were also dismissed by the company.

It is not clear how many miners were working underground when the flood gushed in. But police discovered 12 agreements signed between the company and families of the victims over how to deal with the aftermath.

The Shuozhou government did not elaborate on the content of the documents.

A police officer who declined to be named told Xinhua that the mining firm paid some families about 500,000 yuan to 600,000 yuan (US$87,717) each for not reporting the accident to authorities.

Police are hunting for three men responsible for the accident and the cover-up while a number of suspects have been detained.

An investigation team is still probing the accident.