A gas explosion at a coal mine in China's northeastern province of Liaoning has killed at least 203 workers.
The explosion, which occurred yesterday afternoon at the mine in Fuxin city, injured 22 miners and 13 were still trapped, the official Xinhua news agency said this morning.
It is the worst disaster in 15 years to hit the world's most dangerous mining industry.
The blast occurred 242 metres below ground at about 7 a.m.(Irish time) at the Sunjiawan colliery of the state-owned Fuxin Coal Industry Group. A rescue team of more than 180 miners were working to free the trapped workers.
Workers reported feeling a sudden, strong tremor shake the mine 10 minutes before the blast, according to reports. Moments later, gas detectors lost their signals and one of the mine's main pits filled with smoke, the official Xinhua news agency said.
The cause of the explosion is not yet known.