At least 34 killed in Chinese coal mine explosion

A gas explosion ripped through a coal mine in central China today, killing at least 34 workers, the government said.

The blast occurred at the No.2 Coal Mine of the Hemei Group in Hebi, a city in Henan province, the official Xinhua News Agency said. It did not give any more details.

The cause of the explosion was under investigation, it said.