Miners killed in blast in China

A coal mine blast killed 35 miners in central Henan province today and left 44 trapped.

The State Administration of Work Safety said the pre-dawn explosion happened at Xinhua No. 4 pit in Pingdingshan city in Henan province.

Officials from the government’s work safety office and the provincial government have arrived at the scene.

A statement on the administration’s website did not give a reason for the blast.

It said 14 miners managed to flee to safety.

There were 93 men working underground at the time of the blast, it said.