THE government of Huludao City and Nanpiao District in Northeast China's Liaoning Province has promised to pay at least 200,000 yuan (US$28,571) in compensation to the family of each victim of a coal mine blast which happened Sunday.

The coal mine gas explosion killed 16, injured two, investigators said yesterday.

The local public security authorities have detained the coal mine's investor, surnamed Li, and the manager surnamed Liu. Their bank accounts have also been frozen.

Among the dead and missing miners, one was a farmer from neighboring Chaoyang City and the others were farmers from Danpiao District..

When the blast hit, 21 miners escaped the shaft safely. The injured were immediately sent to hospital and both are out of danger.

A preliminary investigation said the blast occurred because the miners were digging beyond their officially-approved limit.

The coal mine was established in 1985 with a designed annual output of 20,000 tons. It had all the necessary licenses.

Huludao is more than 300 kilometers from Shenyang, capital of Liaoning.

(Xinhua)