Coal mine gas explosion kills 10 in China

BEIJING, NOV 24: A gas explosion in a Chinese coal mine killed 10 people and injured four, the latest in a series of underground disasters, Xinhua news agency said on Friday.

Thursday’s blast in the central province of Hunan wastriggered by sparks from a switch, the agency said. The local government suspended operations of all its township-run coal mines until they had passed safety examinations.

Thousands of coal miners are killed in accidents every yearin China’s mines, which are often badly run.

In September, 162 miners died after an explosion in thesouthwestern province of Guizhou, some after failed efforts to keep them alive by feeding them porridge, milk, water and soup down a long iron pipe.