4 accused Chinese officials await verdicts
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-06-27 10:00

Four Chinese coal mining executives are awaiting a verdict in their trial on a 2002 coal mine gas explosion that killed 11 miners in northwest China.

The People's Court of Huining County of Gansu Province held a hearing Thursday and a verdict is expected next week, the government's Xinhua news agency reported Saturday.

The blast killed all 11 coal miners working underground in the Xiaonangou Mine at 9:20 p.m., local time, Dec. 22, 2002.

After the explosion, the mine owners gave each victim's family compensation ranging from $3,614 to $6,000 to keep them quiet, and then fled, officials said. They also destroyed the gas monitoring records and log file for that day.

Victims' families did not learn of the tragedy until 10 days later.

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