At least 59 people have been killed in two separate Chinese coal mine blasts. According to state media reports, an explosion yesterday at a colliery in the northern Inner Mongolia region killed 32. A total of 181 people were working underground when the gas explosion struck the mine in the city of Chifeng, with 149 managing to escape.
In a separate incident, a blast occurred late Tuesday at a private mine in Qitaihe City, in northeast Heilongjiang province, trapping 22 workers. Twenty-one were confirmed dead on Friday night.