19 miners killed in Shanxi coal mine blast
(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2005-07-03 17:33

Nineteen miners were killed as a gas explosion ripped through in a coal mine in Ningwu County, North China's Shanxi Province Saturday, Xinhua News Agency reported Sunday.

The Jiajiabao coal mine was a illegal township mine, Xinhua quoted local officials as saying.

Thirty-four miners were working underground at the time of the explosion. Four managed to escape and 11 others were rescued.

Provincial officials rushed to the site for rescue, Xinhua said.