In the worst mine disaster in the country in two years, an explosion occurred at 2.30am on Saturday at the Xinxing mine in China’s northeastern Heilongjiang Province.
State Administration of Work Safety head Luo Lin told news agency Xinhua initial investigations showed the accident was due to negligence.
The gassy mine produces 1.45 million tonnes per annum and is state-run.
At the time of the blast 528 miners were working underground, according to China Daily.