Beijing, Dec 27 (IANS): The owner of a gypsum mine, which collapsed in China's Shandong province with one person dead and 17 trapped, committed suicide on Sunday, according to the authorities.

The accident happened at 7.56 p.m. (local time) in Pingyi county of Shandong province when a total of 29 people were working underground. One died, four managed to escape, and seven others have been rescued so far, Xinhua reported.

Rescuers have drilled a hole to get to one of the locations where the workers are trapped, and trying to transfer food and water and contact the workers, authorities said.

According to Zhang Shuping, mayor of Linyi city, more than 700 rescuers are trying to pull out the 17 workers still trapped underground.

Ma Congbo, chairman of Yurong company that owns the mine, drowned himself by jumping into the water when working together with the rescue team around 2.00 a.m. on Sunday.

The cause of the mine accident is under investigation.