Gas explosion at Chinese coal mine kills 22

A gas explosion in a central Chinese coal mine has killed 22 miners.

A gas explosion in a central Chinese coal mine has killed 22 miners.

Three miners survived the blast at the state-owned Xinfeng mine in Henan province, the State Coal Mine Safety Supervision Administration said. A search is ongoing for one miner.

Rescue efforts continued for more than 19 hours following the explosion. Administration officials had no further information.

Explosions, usually due to a lack of ventilation to disperse coal gas, are the main cause of accidents in China's notoriously unsafe mines.

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Mining related accidents, including floods and cave-ins, killed at least 5,395 last year, according to official statistics.

PA