AP reported that 12 miners have been killed in a methane gas explosion at a coal mine at Ruda Slaska-Kochlowice in southern Poland.

The explosion is thought to have been caused by the ignition of a pocket of methane gas.

Ms Edyta Tomaszewska spokeswoman for Poland's mines authority told reporters that the blast struck the Wujek-Slask mine on Friday morning at 1,050 meter depth and 30 miners were taken to hospital.

Mr Andrzej Bielecki, the mine's chief engineer, told Polish television channel TVP INFO that around 40 miners had been underground in the area at the time of the blast.

He added that “Production at the mine has been halted, although the fire has been brought under control and miners are continuing to work in areas that have been designated as safe.”

The explosion is the worst mining accident in Poland since a methane gas explosion killed 23 miners at the Halemba mine in Silesia three years ago.

The mine is situated in mineral-rich southern Poland near the industrial city of Katowice.

(Sourced from AP)