A deputy commissioner in Shanxi Province was sacked after coal mining accidents that killed 141 and caused millions of yuan in damages in 2002 and 2003.

Jin Jianzhong, former deputy commissioner of the Luliang Prefecture in North China's Shanxi Province, was blamed for successive coal mine accidents during the past two years.

Serious mishaps in late 2002 and early 2003 claimed 141 lives and caused more than 15.4 million yuan (US$1.9 million) in losses.

According to a report in Sunday's Shanxi Daily, Jin showed poor leadership in allowing illegal coalmines operations.

Jin was in charge of safety at coalmines and was also the former director of the area's Work Safety Committee.

The provincial government fired Jin from his post of deputy commissioner on Wednesday. He was dismissed from the Party committee of the prefecture late last year.

Luliang Prefecture, west of Luliang Mountain in western Shanxi Province, has rich coal deposits estimated at nearly 30 billion tons.

The coal industry is the pillar of the local economy, accounting for 40 per cent of the area's industrial output every year. Shanxi is rich in coal resources as well.

(China Daily February 9, 2004)