Owners of the three gypsum mines involved in the mine collapse accident that occurred on Sunday in Xingtai County, north China's Hebei Province, has been brought under surveillance, local police said on Thursday.

Owners of Kangli, Taihang and Linwang mines in the county are now under police control, with their banking accounts blocked, the county public security bureau said.

The accident happened at around 7:40 on Sunday evening at a gypsum mine in Shangwang Village in Huining Township in Xingtai. The collapse affected two gypsum mines nearby, toppling many of the residential houses of the two mines. By press time, 32 people were confirmed dead and 33 others injured, with another four missing.

Rescue work is still under way.

(Xinhua News Agency November 10, 2005)