Accountability for Shanxi Mine Disaster Escalates to Provincial Level; Deputy Director of Emergency Management Department Under Investigation

(Central News Agency, Taipei, June 11) Following a severe mining disaster in Qinyuan County, Shanxi Province, China, on May 22 that resulted in 82 deaths, the level of officials being held accountable has gradually increased. The Shanxi Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China announced on the evening of the 10th that Zhang Heping, Deputy Director of the Shanxi Provincial Department of Emergency Management, is suspected of serious violations of discipline and law and is involved in this "particularly major explosion accident." He is currently under investigation. This marks the first time accountability for this mining disaster has reached the provincial department level.

Before Zhang Heping was investigated, the authorities first announced on June 2 that Zhao Yongjin, the Party Secretary of Qinyuan County, was under investigation. On June 7, three lower-level officials were also announced to be under investigation: Sun Xiaoye, Director of the Qinyuan County Emergency Management Bureau; Yue Xiaodong, Deputy Captain of the Bureau's Comprehensive Administrative Law Enforcement Team for Emergency Management; and Zhang Qian, Captain of the First Law Enforcement Team of the Bureau's Comprehensive Administrative Law Enforcement Team for Emergency Management.

Around 7:30 PM on May 22, a serious gas explosion occurred in the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan County. To date, it has caused 82 deaths, 2 people missing, and 128 injuries. It was later revealed that the actual number of workers in the mine was 247, but the mine had only registered 124 workers. The remaining 123 workers entered the mine without registration, constituting a serious violation.

This mining disaster is considered the worst in China in 17 years and even prompted instructions from Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping. Subsequently, the State Council established a "5·22" Special Major Accident Investigation Team, and the Supreme People's Procuratorate also announced it would supervise the case. (Editor: Qiu Guoqiang / Zhou Huiying) 1150611