Xinhua news agency reported.that 23 have been killed and 23 are trapped underground in a coal mine explosion in Henan province in China.

The mine was hit by a coal and gas outburst, a sudden and violent ejection of coal, gas and rock from a coal face in a mine, which can cause serious injuries and damage machinery.

Hundreds of rescuers and medics have rushed to the site in south west China to try to save the missing miners, but their efforts were being hampered by a gas leak.

Ventilation machines were pumping methane gas out of the shaft while rescuers took turns heading down the pit to search for survivors, the

Mr Tan Xiaopeng, a fire control official in charge of the rescue, said “The rescue is difficult because the gas levels remain high and may lead to an explosion at any time.”

(Sourced from Xinhua)