The death toll in a coal mine accident on September 21 in Leping city in east China's Jiangxi Province has risen to 10 and the mine manager has been suspended for failing to report the death, according to a source with a provincial safety production committee Tuesday.

The accident occurred at 2:45 p.m. on September 21 when a coal carrier was transporting 11 miners through the main entrance of Dongfanghong Mine and a steel cable holding the carrier suddenly disjoined.

The coal mine manager first said 10 people were in the carrier with nine killed and one badly injured, but soon found out the exact number was 11 in the carrier with 10 deaths. However, they delayed reporting the latest information to the provincial supervision bureau on coal mine safety.

The Shanxi Provincial Committee for Safety Production Tuesday decided to suspend Xia Fubao, who is in charge of the coal mine.

The workers who were responsible for the coal carrier had been detained, but the head of the labor contractor had fled, according to the police.

Dongfanghong is an authorized state-owned coal mine. According to safety rules, miners must take special carriers to get down to the shaft bottom instead of using those designed for carrying coal.

(China Daily October 1, 2003)