Two killed in Russian mine explosion

Two coal miners died after gas exploded in a mine in Russia's Kemerovo region, a major coal basin, the emergency situations ministry said Wednesday.

The victims were among 105 miners who had been underground at the Dzerzhinsky mine in the Kemerovo region city of Prokopyevsk when the methane explosion took place in the evening, Xinhua quoted the ministry as saying.

The rest 103 miners have been evacuated, with two of them hospitalised with toxication, the ministry's regional branch said.

All the miners were equipped with sensors which allow rescuers to locate them, emergency authorities have said.

Kemerovo region is located in southwestern Siberia.