Police have offered a 10,000 yuan (US$1,280) cash reward for information leading to the capture of the owner of an ill-fated colliery where a gas blast killed five and trapped another 10 on Tuesday.

The accident occurred at around 11:00 a.m. at Hongfa coal mine in Niumasi town, Shaodong county of central Hunan Province. But Mo Zhixiang, owner of the mine, did not report the accident to the local safety watchdog until 2:00 PM.

Before the local government could organize an emergency rescue operation, Mo and all the other mine managers fled the site. "Without a map or any data about the structure of the shafts, it was very difficult for the rescuers to find out where the victims were," said Ai Fangyi, head of the county.

He said rescue work eventually started after some survivors provided information.

Seventeen miners survived the accident, but a preliminary investigation shows that at least 32 miners were in the pit when the blast occurred, said Ai.

An earlier report said five dead bodies had been found and three were missing.

With an expired license and no safety permit, Hongfa coal mine had been ordered to stop production last August. The county government is determined to close it down this year.

(Xinhua News Agency March 7, 2007)