China coal mine blast leaves at least 13 dead, 20 missing

Associated Press

BEIJING

A gas explosion ripped through a coal mine in western China on Monday, a government official said.

Thirteen people have been confirmed dead from a gas explosion, and the status is still unknown for 20 others trapped inside.

Rescuers today were trying to locate survivors inside the Jinshangou coal mine in China’s Chongqing region where the explosion occurred before noon Monday.

China’s mining industry has long been among the world’s deadliest, although safety improvements and the closure of smaller, more dangerous mines have reduced the death toll in recent years.

Xinhua News Agency cited the Chongqing municipal coal-mine safety inspection bureau in reporting the deaths. Officials did not answer phone calls from The Associated Press.

Two people had been rescued earlier.