A ventilation system failure was blamed yesterday for the high death toll in Wednesday's colliery blast in Hunan. Meanwhile in Hebei, local police said an explosion the same day at an iron mine was not accidental, and that the mine owner has since disappeared with an undisclosed amount of money.

Huang Jiaxun, chief engineer at the colliery safety supervision bureau investigating the Hunan coal mine gas explosion, said if the ventilation systems had met safety standards it would not have claimed as many lives.

So far 22 people have been reported dead since the blast at 11 AM on Wednesday in Zijiang Coal Mine in Loudi.

Huang estimated that only six miners, working at 200 meters underground, would have been affected if the mine had used standard ventilation systems, which would have dispersed the gas.

Xie Guangxiang, the bureau's director, confirmed that the mine was operating illegally with no production license.

In May, the State Coal Mine Safety Supervision Bureau included Zijiang on a list of 61 mines that fell short of basic safety working standards, instructing them to stop production and improve safety conditions.

The explosion at the iron mine in Shahe City, which also took place on Wednesday, killed 10 people, including a four-year old child, and injured seven others. Witnesses said it destroyed surrounding dormitories and warehouses.

Local police said it was not an accident, and that the owner of the mine has fled with money, though how much was not reported. They discovered a stash of 1,300 kg of dynamite in a warehouse.

Established two years ago, the iron mine is situated next to others where a fire claimed 70 lives on November 20, 2004.

(Xinhua News Agency June 10, 2005)