Nineteen people...were responsible for a deadly coal mine accident that occurred in...Yunnan Province last November...according to a report released...by the State Council's investigation team. The accident occurred at the Sizhuang Coal Mine...when a powerful gas explosion hit two underground platforms...killed 43 people...[The] Mine must pay 5 million yuan in fines and be shut down...The investigation team blamed the accident on illegal operation, lax safety supervision, dereliction of duty and inadequate accident prevention measures...China has stepped up its efforts to close small illegal mines in recent years to curb accidents. The mortality rate per 1 million tonnes of coal fell to 0.564 deaths in 2011 from the high of 4.94 in 2002.