XINHUA (China), BBC NEWS (UK)
An explosion in a coal mine in southwest China has killed 19 people and left 28 trapped, reports Chinese news agency Xinhua.
According to state media, rescue efforts are still underway to rescue the remaining miners, reports BBC News.
The accident occurred Wednesday at around 6 p.m. at Xiojiawan Coal Mine in the province of Sichuan.
154 people were working underground when a gas explosion struck the mine (watch footage of the explosion below).
According to Xinhua, the mine belongs to Zhengjin Industrial and Trade Co., Ltd. in Panzhihua.
The owner of the mine has been taken into police custody and the authority launched an investigation.
Safety rules are often ignored in China, a country that has an estimated 12,000 coal mines. Last year, 1,973 people were killed in mining accidents.
