Nine miners died after being trapped overnight in an unlicensed mine last weekend in East China’s Fujian province, reported Xinhua News Agency on Monday.

A dozen miners entered the mine, which had been shut down by authorities, at Wendong Village in Yongding district of Longyan city on Saturday morning, June 27 and were trapped.

The last three to enter managed to get out and called police in the evening.

Rescuers were sent to the mine but a high concentration of carbon monoxide slowed the process. They reached down eventually the next day only to find all nine miners dead.

A man surnamed Shen suspected of organizing the 12-person theft team has been arrested, Yongding government said.

Rescuers check their equipment before entering an abandoned mine where nine people were trapped in an illegal mine on June 28. [Photo/Xinhua]