Chinese officials say a gas explosion that tore through a mine shaft in northern China has killed at least 16 miners and left at least seven others missing.
The official Xinhua news agency says 83 miners were in the mine at the time of Wednesday's explosion in Shanxi province, but 54 escaped.
Shanxi province is one of China's biggest coal-producing regions, and mining accidents are common.
China has the most dangerous mining industry in the world. At least 6,000 Chinese mine workers died on the job last year.
Some information for this report provided by AFP and Reuters.
