SHIJIAZHUANG - Two men have been detained by police for allegedly concealing an explosion that killed seven workers in North China's Hebei province, local safety authorities said on Saturday.

The accident occurred on Tuesday at a steel company in Wen'an county, but the two persons were suspected of withholding the information, according to a statement from the county government.

The statement said local authorities started to look into the accident after it was tipped off by local residents.

A preliminary investigation confirmed that seven people were killed and another one was injured. Officials said they would keep looking for evidence of the concealment.