A faulty electrical cable has been blamed for the coalmine fire that killed ten miners in north China's Hebei Province on Monday, according to initial investigations conducted by the provincial work safety bureau.

Investigations also showed that the township mine continued to operate after it was ordered to suspend production for safety maintenance on December 26, 2005.

Sixty-three miners were working underground when the fire broke out at 11:50 AM at Longxin Coal Mine in Hecun town, Handan city, one of China's major coal production bases. By 9:30 PM, 52 miners had been rescued, but one was still trapped in the mine.
Wang Shuhe, vice director of the State Administration of Coal Mine Safety, has arrived at the mine to coordinate rescue efforts.

The rescuers are still struggling to reach the remaining trapped miner. They said the fire has been put out, but carbon monoxide levels in the tunnel were still high.

Local authorities have detained the mine owner and managers and have frozen their bank accounts and assets, but have yet to charge them.

(Xinhua News Agency October 17, 2006)