China coal mine blast kills 11, 2 missing

Beijing, May 24: A coal mine explosion in southeastern China has killed 11 miners and two others are missing, the offical Xinhua news agency reported today.

Local official said 36 miners were underground when the blast occurred on Wednesday at the Xinglong Mine in Sichuan Province, but 24 were rescued from the shaft.

''Eight of them are injured and one died on the way to hospital,'' the offical said.

Rescuers have retrieved 10 dead bodies in the pit and were still hunting for the two missing miners. An investigation of the cause of the blast was under way.

The Xinglong mine, with annual output of 60,000 tonnes, was operating legally.

China, which has the world's deadliest mining industry, has been struggling to clean up the sector, which last year killed more than 4,700 people.

Owners continue to push production beyond safe limits to reap profits and meet the country's surging appetite for fuel.

Reuters>