The disaster struck at about 6:00 a.m. (2200 Saturday), destroying the homes of about 10 families, said a government spokesman in the nearby city of Anshan, who identified himself only as Mr. Pan.

The government’s --inhua News Agency said 33 households had been destroyed in the village of --iangying, below the dam.

The accident underscores two major public safety concerns in China: the failure to enforce protective measures in the country’s notoriously deadly mines, and the unsound state of many of its bridges, dams and other aging infrastructure elements.

Another 17 people were injured in the accident, --inhua reported. It said the mine was run by the private Dingyang Mining Co. There was no telephone number listed for the company in the Anshan area, in central Liaoning province, just north of Beijing.

--inhua said the dam ran for about 100 meters (328 feet) at a height of more than 10 meters (33 feet) along a hillside above the houses. --inhua said its reporters saw a 10-meter (33-foot) crack had opened in its side, and quoted villagers as saying the dam had let loose with a huge gushing sound.

--inhua said the dam had originally been a retaining wall to enclose tailings from a nearby iron mine. Over the years it had filled with water and mud, the agency said, raising the pressure pressing against its walls.

All of those killed or missing lived in --iangying, Pan said.