Mine gas blast kills 10 in southwest China

At least 10 people have been killed and eight are still missing in a coal mine gas blast in southwest China's Sichuan province early Friday, rescue operators said.

At least 10 people have been killed and eight are still missing in a coal mine gas blast in southwest China's Sichuan province early Friday, rescue operators said.

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The gas blast occurred at 2.52 am in the mine of Jinhe Coal Mining Co in Jiuqing town, Xingwen county, when 44 miners were working underground, the Sichuan Provincial Work Safety Administration said.

Only 26 emerged from the pit after the accident, and rescue operators are still searching for the missing.

Sichuan's vice governor Li Chenyun has rushed to the site to direct rescue operations.

The mine has an annual production capacity of 90,000 tonnes.

A mine gas explosion in northeast Liaoning province Thursday killed 27 people and injured six.