14 killed in Chinese coal mine blast

A coal mine explosion in eastern China has killed at least 14 people just days after a blast in the country's south-west left 44 dead.

The official Xinhua News Agency said dozens of miners were working when the blast ripped through the Gaokeng Coal Mine in Jiangxi province's Pingxiang city at midday on Sunday.

Xinhua reported that 23 escaped or were rescued and 14 were confirmed dead. It said one miner remains missing while 11 workers were taken to hospital.

An earlier blast in Sichuan had killed 44 people on Wednesday, the highest single accident toll for the industry in nearly three years.

Coal mine accidents are common in China, where work safety rules are often ignored.

AP