China mine blast kills seven

Seven people are killed in a colliery gas explosion in north China's Inner Mongolian region on Saturday, officials said.

Seven people were killed in a colliery gas explosion in north China's Inner Mongolian region on Saturday, officials said.

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The blast occurred around 2.10 am at the Liyuan Coal Mine in the Huolin Gol city when 23 people were working underground. Sixteen managed to escape, said a spokesman with the regional work safety supervision bureau.

Police have detained several people from the mine and are hunting for another shareholder who absconded after the accident.

Investigators with the work safety supervision bureau said the mine was in a renovation period and the miners should not have been operating when the accident happened.