Arrests over Hebei mine blast

Police in Hebei province arrested 20 people in connection with a deadly coal mine blaze last November in which 70 miners died, state media reported. Xinhua said the men arrested were mostly the operators of the mine in Shahe city, and they were accused of dereliction of duty as well as carrying out illegal mining operations. Xinhua said the blaze was caused by sparks from electric welding machinery igniting a fire in the mine that quickly spread to four other pits.