The provincial government Shanxi in north China has urged local mining enterprises to enhance the inspection on safe production after a severe gas explosion in the province on Monday.

The government said in a bulletin that all these enterprises should check hidden dangers in production and avoid the recurrence of such accidents.

The bulletin demanded that all coal mines of Jinzhong City, where the exploded coal mine is located, stop their production to carry on safety inspections.

Any coal mine which resumes production without the government's permission will be severely punished, said the bulletin.

In Monday's gas blast in Jiexiu City of the province, 28 coal miners died. The accident was found to be mainly caused by operations against production instructions.

(Xinhua News Agency March 3, 2004)