Mexican judge orders five arrests over mine blast

Mexico City, Mar 20: A Mexican judge has ordered the arrest of five employees of the country's top mining company, Grupo Mexico, blamed for the death of 65 miners in an explosion in February 2006, the company said.

Only two bodies have been recovered from the February 19, 2006 blast and victims' relatives are incensed at the lack of legal action against Mexico City-based Grupo Mexico.

A source at Grupo Mexico who declined to be named told Reuters yesterday its general manager at the Pasta de Conchos coal mine in northern Mexico, Ruben Escudero, was among those facing arrest and added that all five staff members are in Mexico.

State prosecutors for the Coahuila state were the accident occurred accuse Grupo Mexico of allowing a deadly mix of methane, heat and oxygen to build up in the mine and failing to build proper ventilation shafts.

Grupo Mexico denies any wrongdoing and says it has compensated victim's families and spend 30 million dollars to find the remaining 63 miners.

The Grupo Mexico employees could face up to 5 and 1/2 years in prison if convicted, Coahuila officials say.

Reuters