Explosion kills eight in Chinese mine

An explosion in a Chinese coal mine killed at least eight miners and trapped 29 others today, and dangerous gases kept rescuers from reaching them.

Thousands of Chinese miners die each year in fires, floods, cave-ins and other accidents – despite repeated government pledges to boost safety and close dangerous mines.

The blast at the Baixing Coal Mine in north-east China’s Heilongjiang province is believed to have happened when sparks ignited coal gas that had accumulated due to lack of proper ventilation.

Such blasts are among the leading causes of death in China’s notoriously deadly and poorly regulated mines.