Gas leak kills 25 at mine in China

[May 30, 2009]  BEIJING (AP) -- A gas leak killed 25 miners and 20 others remained trapped underground Saturday at a coal mine in China's southwestern city of Chongqing, the official Xinhua News Agency said.

Rescuers are working to release those trapped, the news agency said. The cause of the accident is still being investigated.

There were 131 people working in the Tonghua mine when the accident happened at 11 a.m. (0300GMT), but 86 escaped safely, the report said.

No other details were immediately available.

China's mining industry remains the world's deadliest, despite government promises to improve mining safety.

Most accidents are blamed on corruption, poor regulation, and cutting corners on safety to feed the growing economy's insatiable demand for coal.

[Associated Press]

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