At least 21 miners were killed today in a gas explosion at a coal mine in China's western Xinjiang province.
The blast occurred at the Baiyanggou coal mine at 1:26 am (local time) when 34 miners were working underground.
Twelve workers managed to escape but 22 were trapped by the blast, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Only one of the trapped miners survived the explosion, the report said, citing the local regional emergency response office.
Professional coal mine rescue teams and firefighters has been sent to the site, according to the regional bureau of coal mine safety supervision.
Mining accidents are common in China where mine operators often evade safety regulations.
In October, 10 miners were killed when a mine was flooded in the northern province of Shanxi.
Last year, 1,384 people were killed in coal mining accidents in China, the world's largest coal producing country.
