Thirty-nine people have been held responsible for a coal and gas explosion in Pingdingshan, Henan province, that left 16 people dead and five injured, according to a report by the public WeChat account of the Ministry of Emergency Management.

The accident happened on January 12 at the No 12 mine of Pingdingshan Tian'an Coal Mining Co, an affiliate of the Henan Pingmei Shenma Group, which led to a direct economic loss of more than 21.97 million yuan ($3 million).

The report said the accident happened because of malpractice in tunneling.

Four administrators of the Pingdingshan Tian'an Coal Mining Co have been sent to law enforcement authorities.

Nineteen other people at Pingdingshan Tian'an Coal Mining Co, nine people at Henan Pingmei Shenma Group, one senior official at the Pingdingshan bureau of emergency management and one senior official of the Pingdingshan municipal government have been given Party and administrative punishments.

The Pingdingshan Tian'an Coal Mining Co has been given a fine of 9 million yuan. Its operating license has been temporarily suspended, and the company has been listed as an entity of seriously violating safety production.