Beijing: A gas explosion at a coal mine in southwest China has killed 19
miners and trapped dozens more, state media reported on Thursday.

The
Xiaojiawan coal mine in Sichuan province's coal-rich Panzhihua city
exploded on Wednesday evening with 152 miners inside, Central China
Television said.

Rescuers recovered the bodies of 16 miners who died from carbon monoxide poisoning, CCTV said.
Three
other miners died at a hospital after being pulled to the surface, CCTV
said. It did not provide details on the cause of death of those miners.

CCTV said 28 miners remained trapped.

The
mine is owned by Zhengjin Industry and Trade Co Ltd. and the owners are
in police custody for investigation, the Panzhihua city government said
in a statement posted on its official microblogging site.

Coal
mine accidents are common in China, where work safety rules are often
ignored. Last year, 1,973 miners were killed in coal mine accidents in
the country, but that was down 19 percent from the previous year as
authorities continue to beef up safety measures.

The State
Administration of Work Safety said last week that it planned to close
more than 600 small coal mines - considered more dangerous than larger
mines - this year to further reduce fatalities.