Chinese coal mine explosion kills 15

A blast at a coal mine in southern China killed 15 people, the official Xinhua News Agency said today.

The explosion occurred at the Zhongxing Colliery in Guizhou province’s Qinglong County, Xinhua said.

Eight of the 41 miners working underground at the time of the explosion were killed instantly, Xinhua said. Seven others were trapped inside the shaft and were assumed dead after 20 hours of rescue operations, it said.

The cause of the accident was under investigation.