Twenty-eight miners were still trapped on Thursday afternoon after Wednesday's gas explosion in a coal mine in Panzhihua city, southwest China's Sichuan Province, rescuers said.
The death toll in the mine gas explosion currently stands at 19. Among the injured miners, seven were in critical condition and a further 10 were seriously injured, the local rescue headquarters said.
A total of 154 miners were working underground at the Xiaojiawan Coal Mine in the city of Panzhihua when the blast occurred around 6 p.m. Wednesday.
A total of 107 miners have been rescued out of the shaft. All the injured miners have been taken to local hospitals, said the headquarters.
Professional rescue teams, with 136 rescuers, from other coal mines in Sichuan and neighboring Yunnan Province have arrived at the accident site. More rescuers are on the way.
The coal mine is owned by Zhengjin Industry and Trade Co., Ltd.
The owner of the mine is being questioned by police.
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