Bai Wenjie, head of the Coal Industry Bureau of Huangling
County, northwest China's Shaanxi
Province, who is suspected of bearing leadership responsibility
for a recent fatal coal mine gas blast in his county, was suspended
from work as of Saturday.
???
Up to now, altogether four local officials have been suspended from
work for the Qifenggouxi Coal Mine gas blast in Huangling County,
killing 12 miners, said information from Huangling County Committee
of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
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A circular issued by the Organizational Department of the Huangling
CPC County Committee says that as the leader of the County Coal
Industry Bureau, Bai had unshirkable leadership responsibility for
the major gas blast and Bai's suspension from work was decided on
Friday night at a meeting of the standing committee members of the
Huangling CPC County Committee.
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The gas blast occurred last Thursday at the Qifenggouxi Coal Mine,
leaving 12 dead and two injured. But the accident was covered up
until Sunday, when the accident was reported in the media.
???
Three other officials, Li Fengtao, deputy head of Huangling County
Coal Industry Bureau, Xu Wenlong, head of Huangling County Station
for Coal Mine Safety Inspection, and Zong Mingxue, deputy head of
Cangcun Township Government, who were sent to spot the accident on
the same day when it happened but failed to do so, were on Tuesday
also suspended from work for failing to performing their
duties.
???
The coal mine gas explosion is under tense investigation.
(Xinhua News Agency September 25, 2005)