'China coal mine blast kills 15'

A coal mine explosion killed 15 in China's far northeast, Xinhua news agency said on Monday, adding that 10 had escaped the blast.

A coal mine explosion killed 15 in China's far northeast, Xinhua news agency said on Monday, adding that 10 had escaped the blast.

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China is trying to curtail the grim fatality rate of its mining industry by shutting down small and unlicensed operators.

The Changlong mine in Qitaihe, in Heilongjiang, was legally operating and had an annual production capacity of 40,000 tonnes, Xinhua said, adding that the cause of Sunday's accident was under investigation.

In the first 10 months of this year, 2,690 Chinese miners died in explosions, gas leaks, flooding and cave-ins, a drop of 13 percent from the same period last year, according to the State Administration of Work Safety.