Beijing: At least nine workers died and one missing after a deadly gas explosion ripped through a coal mine in southwestern China, less than a week after a similar tragedy killed 107 people in the country.
The incident occurred at late last night at the Zhenxing coal mine, state-run Xinhua news agency said today quoting an official of Guizhou Provincial Work Safety Bureau.
A total of 172 miners were working when the incident occurred, it reported, adding 162 people have escaped. The nine workers died of asphyxiation while three others were injured by the flying debris and now being treated at a hospital in Xingren county.
The search operation for missing miners is on, the official said.
Located in southwest China, Zhenxing coal mine has an annual production of 600,000 tonnes, making it one of the biggest mines in the region.
PTI
