2010-07-22 00:27

HANCHENG - A vice mayor in Northwest China has been removed from his post after a coal mine accident killed 28 workers, local authorities said Wednesday.

An underground fire and cave-in killed 28 miners Saturday night in Hancheng, a county-level city in Weinan city of Shaanxi province.

The government in Weinan said in a statement that it has sacked Miao Zhenxing, a vice mayor of Hancheng, for dereliction of duty.

It also ordered Li Ming, deputy director of the Hancheng municipal bureau of the coal industry, to resign.

Earlier on Tuesday night, the Hancheng municipal government sacked four coal industry bureau officials, including the chief engineer and two work safety inspectors.

In wake of the deadly accident, the Hancheng government has ordered 33 coal mines to halt production until safety loopholes are closed.