Unsafe practices blamed in deadly China mine blast

BEIJING (AP) - An initial investigation into China's worst mine accident in nearly three years blames "chaotic" management for sending too many workers underground and disregarding safety measures, state media said on Sunday. The blast killed 43 people.

The official Xinhua News Agency said that though the Xiaojiawan coal mine in south-western Sichuan province was licensed to operate, it had been exceeding its production capacity in violation of safety standards.

Rescuers were still searching for three miners who remained trapped underground after the explosion on Wednesday afternoon in the coal-rich city of Panzhihua, but their chances of survival were slim. State media said the three workers were believed to be located at the center of the blast.

A preliminary probe found that the accident happened because production had not been stopped despite a high density of gas and that safety monitoring equipment was inadequate, Xinhua said.