Explosions intended to seal a deserted Chinese mine have killed 29 people..
The bodies of the villagers were found in the mine in Shanxi province after they had entered the deserted mine with explosives to try to seal it after learning it was linked to another mine, the China Dailysaid.
Miners had been "competing to pull coal from the abandoned shaft," the paper said.
Authorities detained the owner of an illegal coal mine in a nearby village, who had admitted ordering four workers to set off explosives at the mouth of the deserted mine.
"Police believe at least at least two blasts happened underground," the China Dailysaid.
It also said Mr Jin Jianzhong had been sacked as deputy commissioner of Luliang prefecture in Shanxi province after mine accidents there killed 141 people and caused 15.4 million yuan in losses in 2002 and 2003.
China has the world's largest and deadliest mining industry, with accidents at mines killing thousands every year.