Coal mine blast kills 16 in southwest China
Safety officials say a gas explosion from a coal mine in southwest China has killed 16 miners with three more missing. The State Administration of Work Safety reports on its website that the blast occurred after midnight Friday in Guizhou province's Liupanshui city.
It says 15 workers managed to escape. An investigation into the cause of the explosion is under way. Rescuers have retrieved the bodies and are continuing their search for the missing. China's coal mines are the world's deadliest with thousands of miners killed every year. Demand for coal induces many producers to sidestep safety regulations. (AP)
