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Mine explosion kills 40 in China Dozens feared dead in China mine
(about 11 hours later)
At least 40 people have been killed and 74 more are missing after an explosion at a mine in central China, state media has reported. Ninety-six miners are feared dead after an underground explosion at a coal mine in central China.
The accident happened at the Rui Zhiyuan colliery in Shanxi province's Linfen city, state-run CCTV said. The accident happened at the Rui Zhiyuan colliery in Shanxi province's Linfen city, according to the state-run news agency Xinhua.
Thirteen people had been rescued, the station said, but gave no further details of the accident. Reports say 15 miners were rescued, and the authorities are still searching for other survivors.
China's mines are among the most dangerous in the world, with about 5,000 deaths reported every year.China's mines are among the most dangerous in the world, with about 5,000 deaths reported every year.
Independent groups say the annual death toll is likely to be much higher. Profits before safety
Shanxi, south-west of Beijing, is one of the country's top coal-producing regions. The facts of this latest mine disaster are grimly familiar, according to the BBC correspondent in Shanghai, Quentin Somerville.
The mine was owned by the local government, which is likely to benefit from the pit's profits but is also responsible for safety.
Rising demand for energy and fuel means that owners and local officials often ignore safety issues in pursuit of profits.Rising demand for energy and fuel means that owners and local officials often ignore safety issues in pursuit of profits.
China - and perhaps the rest of the world - is growing used to this loss of life, our correspondent says.
Thursday's accident was reported on the state-controlled lunchtime news, but most viewers will be neither shocked nor surprised. After all, an average of 13 miners are killed every single day down the pits.
In August, 181 miners were killed when floodwater poured into a mine in Shandong province in the east of the country.In August, 181 miners were killed when floodwater poured into a mine in Shandong province in the east of the country.
The government warned recently that as mines increased output to meet demand in the winter months, more accidents were likely. The government has launched an ongoing safety campaign, and keeps calling for more to be done.
Officials warned recently that as mines increased output to meet increasing winter demand, accidents were even more likely to happen in the next few months.