ALMATY, March 5 (Xinhua) -- A government investigation has confirmed that a methane buildup caused the deadly collapse at a mine in central Kazakhstan that killed seven miners last month, the Kazakh prime minister's press service reported on Wednesday.

"The investigation established that the accident was caused by an accumulation of methane, which later ignited due to a spark from electrical equipment," the press service stated.

Authorities also uncovered serious violations of industrial safety and labor regulations and identified those responsible.

The collapse at the Zhomart mine in the Ulytau region on Feb. 17 trapped and killed seven workers. A criminal case has since been opened. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has instructed the government to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident. Enditem

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