26 killed in China mine blast

BEIJING - Twenty-six people were killed in an explosion in a coal mine in central China’s Henan province, authorities said Wednesday.

A total of 46 miners were working underground when the gas blast occurred at 7.40 p.m. Tuesday in the Suzhuang Coal Mine in Sanmenxia city, about 300 km from the provincial capital of Zhengzhou, Xinhua quoted an official as saying.

Only 20 of them were lifted to the ground safely. The police are investigating the incident, said the official.