A court in China's Shanxi Province sentenced two men to death on Wednesday, as their illegal trading and storing of explosives caused a blast that killed 17 people in July this year.

The Intermediate People's Court in Linfen City handed down the sentences while giving 11 others involved in the illegal activities penalties from death sentences with two years reprieve, life imprisonment to other prison terms.

According to the court, Cai Yongsheng, owner of the Liugou Coal Mine of Yicheng County, ignored a closure order issued by the city's mining authorities in March, and purchased explosives illegally to continue the production.

By the time that the blast occurred on July 31, there were 1,404 kg of explosives and 9,300 detonators illegally stored at a temporary warehouse close to the entrance of the mine, the court heard.

Liu Xiaojun, the other man who was given the death sentence, was convicted of illegally producing, trading and transporting the explosives.

The explosives spontaneously combusted as their storehouse was too warm due to lack of ventilation, investigations revealed.

The mine with a production capacity under 300,000 tonnes a year was among 1,355 small coal mines shut down by the Chinese government in the first nine months this year to improve work safety and protect the environment.