22 workers trapped after accident in Chinese coal mine

The accident in the coal mine took place on Tuesday and 22 workers are trapped inside.

Beijing

Rescuers workers at Jinshangou coal mine in China where 33 people were killed after an explosion in the coal mine on October 31. (AP File Photo/ Representative image)

At least 22 workers are trapped in a coal mine in China’s northeastern Heilongjiang Province, the latest accident to hit the country’s mining industry.

The accident took place around 9:00 pm on Tuesday in Qitaihe city and 22 workers are trapped in the mine, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Rescue operations are underway and the cause of the mishap is being investigated, it said.

China’s mining industry has long been among the world’s deadliest with frequent mine accidents.

China is the world’s largest producer and consumer of coal.

An explosion at a mine in the southwestern region of Chongqing on October 31 killed 33 people, just weeks after a gas explosion in another mine in Guizhou province had killed seven people.