North China's Hebei Province on Thursday decided to tighten measures on production safety in the wake of a deadly coalmine blast which claimed at least 74 lives and left 32 missing.

The accident ranks fourth among China's fatal coalmine tragedies this year, and ranks the third among the fatal coalmine accidents in the province after a gas blast at Nuan'erhe Coalmine in Chengde and a cave-in in a gypsum mine in Xingtai, according toa meeting held by the provincial government on Thursday.

The provincial, municipal and county-level governments are required to take efficient measures to uproot possible dangers hidden in production places like coalmines, fireworks plants and explosives plants.

The accident in Tangshan occurred around 3:30 PM on Wednesday at Liuguantun Coalmine in Kaiping District, leaving at least 74 dead and 32 missing by Thursday noon.

(Xinhua News Agency December 9, 2005)