China's work safety watchdog has called for enhanced supervision of major coal mines after 17 miners died when an elevator used by workers fell down a shaft in Northeast China's Heilongjiang province on March 9.

The State Council Work Safety Committee said on Thursday that it will launch a targeted campaign to check the safety of equipment at major coal mines across the country to reduce safety hazards.

It came after the elevator in the Dongrong Second Mine at Longmay Mining Holding Group's Shuangyashan branch fell after its electric cable caught fire and burned out the steel wire lines, killing all 17 miners inside.