Ten held after fatal coalmine dispute in China

BEIJING - Ten people have been detained in China after a dispute between coalmine contractors left nine people dead and 48 injured, Xinhua reported Monday.

A blast was deliberately carried out around 9 a.m. last Thursday after the dispute in the Luxi county of the southwestern Yunnan province, resulting in the casualties.

The blast took place at a temporary shed built by the Xiaosongdi coalmine, officials said.

The contractors of the Xiaosongdi and Yuejin coalmines, which are close to each other, reportedly had a dispute after the underground shaft of one mine broke through into the other.

Police said that the blast was created by people. Both mines have an annual production capacity of 90,000 tonnes.