Eleven people have been detained for a deadly gold mine accident on Friday that killed seven in Zhaoyuan, Shandong province, amid allegations that the mine's operator delayed reporting the incident for two days, according to CCTV news.

The accident occurred around 8:50 am on Feb 7 at a section of the Canzhuang gold mine in Zhaoyuan, when both safety steel ropes on a blind vertical shaft snapped simultaneously, causing the cage to plummet 240 meters to the bottom, according to local officials.

Such a dual failure is "very rare", a local authority said. He confirmed that the mine entrance has been sealed off with police tape.

The mine's operator failed to report the deaths promptly, emergency officials said. Zhaoyuan's emergency bureau only confirmed the incident on Feb 9, sparking parallel probes by emergency, public security, and other departments into the cause and suspected concealment.

Eleven mine executives, including the general manager, chief engineer, and various deputy managers for safety, production, and mechanical operations, as well as a workshop director, have been detained for questioning.

Cleanup and aftermath efforts are underway at the site, with investigators examining safety protocols. No further details on the victims or the mine's ownership were available as of Feb 10.