China coal mine blast kills 9, traps 44: Xinhua

BEIJING (AFP) - A gas explosion at a coal mine in south-west China has killed nine miners and trapped 44 underground, state media said on Thursday, in the latest disaster to hit the country’s troubled mining industry.

Around 120 miners were working underground at the Xiaojiawan mine in the city of Panzhihua in Sichuan province when the blast occurred on Wednesday afternoon, the official Xinhua news agency said.

Rescue workers pulled 70 people out of the mine by late Wednesday evening and they were rushed to seven local hospitals, Xinhua said citing the city government.

Three of them died at the hospitals, while six of the remaining 50 trapped underground were confirmed dead, it said, adding that rescue efforts were still underway and the mine’s owner had been placed under police custody for investigation.