18 Chinese miners killed in coal-gas explosion

BEIJING (AP) - A coal mine accident in China's south-west killed 18 workers and trapped five more on Saturday, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.

There were 28 workers working in the state-owned Xiangshui coal mine in Guizhou province when the coal-and-gas explosion happened about 11am, and five of those were rescued, Xinhua said. No other details were immediately available.

China has the world's deadliest coal mine industry, with 1,973 miners killed in accidents last year.

Safety improvements have reduced deaths in recent years, but regulations are often ignored and accidents are still common.