China's Committee for Safety in Production under the State Council warned all coalmine operators in the country to pay more attention to safety after the Spring Festival holiday, which ended on Saturday.

 

The committee made the announcement in a notice issued yesterday following Wednesday's coalmine explosion in north China's Shanxi Province.

 

The committee urged all operators to inspect and repair facilities when they resumed production after the holiday.

 

All newly recruited mine workers must receive relevant training on safety production and workers at special posts must have the relevant certifications before they start working, the committee said.

 

A colliery gas blast Wednesday at the Sihe Coal Mine of the state-owned Jincheng Mining Group killed 23 coalminers and injured 53 others.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 5, 2006)