Gas blast kills 16 in Hunan
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-07-28 02:02

Sixteen miners died when improperly drained gas burst from a coal mine in Central China's Hunan Province on Monday afternoon.

The accident occurred at about 5:05 pm at the Yinguangshi Coal Mine in Lianyuan. By 10:00 pm, 16 had been confirmed dead and 21 others rescued.

Yan Yinchu, deputy director of the Hunan Coal Mine Safety Supervision Bureau, said the mine was operating illegally without a mining permit despite the supervision bureau asking the owner of the mine to stop production several times.

An investigation into the cause of the accident was under way, said Chen Fengwen, vice-mayor of Lianyuan.