Beijing, Nov 21: A gas explosion in a coal mine in China’s northeast has killed 11 miners and trapped 118 underground, the latest accident to hit the world’s deadliest mining industry, state media said on Saturday.
There were 528 people working in the mine at the time of the blast, in the early hours of Saturday morning, but 399 have now been rescued, state television said.
The mine is in Hegang city in Heilongjiang province, which borders Russia, report said, but gave no further details.
The website of the provincial safety watchdog carried no information about the accident. The top item was a report urging more training to boost mine safety.
Lax safety standards and strong demand for resources have made China’s mines the deadliest in the world, despite a government drive to clamp down on the tiny, unsafe operations where most accidents occur.
More than 3,000 people died in mine floods, explosions, collapses and other accidents in 2008 alone.
–Agencies