Chinese mine explosion kills 21, traps 16

Officials in China say an explosion in a coal mine has killed 21 workers and trapped 16 underground.

Rescue teams are trying to reach the miners but their efforts are being hampered by excessive levels of gas and fallen chunks of coal.

It is not known if the 16 are still alive.

The mine is in the town of Yuzhou in the central province of Henan.

Professor Hu Xingdou at the Beijing Institute of Technology said the Chinese government has been lax in tightening safety laws.

“They don’t think that way. Their priority is increasing GDP and expanding growth,” he said.

More than 2,600 people died in mining accidents in China last year.

Last week, a new law came into force that requires supervisors to join workers underground to make bosses more aware about safety issues.

Copyright © 2013 euronews