More than 200 illegal miners have been arrested in a work safety campaign in Linfen, a coal-rich city in north China's Shanxi Province, after a deadly blast that killed 105 in December.

The city government started a thorough inspection at the end of last year of 5,400 illegal mining pits that had been closed but resumed production since 2006.

Authorities destroyed nearly 900 illegal mining sites in the operation.

Twenty-six mine administrators were reprimanded for failing to fulfil their duties.

The tightening of mine administration followed a coal mine explosion on Dec. 5 at Xinyao Coal Mine, Hongtong County. The tunnel where the gas blast occurred was operated illegally and had no ventilation facilities.

The company's legal representative, Wang Hongliang, investor Wang Donghai and production manager Kong Huiping were sentenced to life in prison on Feb. 24 for their roles in the accident.

In January, a vice-mayor of Linfen who was in charge of coal development was sacked for taking bribes to seek benefits for others, many of whom were miners.

Shanxi produces about a quarter of the country's coal each year. The coal production of Linfen accounts for more than half of Shanxi's total.

(Xinhua News Agency March 1, 2008)