BEIJING, July 23 (UPI) -- Eight people could face criminal charges in connection with a fire in a Chinese coal mine where 28 miners are still missing, officials said.
Wang Shaoping, the head of the Fangbei Coal Mine in Shandong province, was among those arrested, Xinhua reported Saturday.
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The fire began July 6 in a compressor about 800 feet below the surface. While 63 of the 91 miners working at the time got out, 28 have not been found.
More than 1,000 rescuers were trying to reach the trapped miners, although there has been no report of evidence they are still alive. High temperatures below ground and carbon monoxide have slowed the effort.
