Eighteen miners died following a gas leak at a coal mine in northern China's Shanxi province, state media reported Saturday.
The accident occurred at around 4:00 pm Friday at the Dahuiyao coal mine in Ningwu county as 34 miners were working underground, said Xinhua news agency, quoting local officials.
Three miners escaped after the accident, it said, adding that of 14 workers rescued, one died. The bodies of the remaining 17 were found Saturday morning.
The accident occurred after part of the mine collapsed, causing a fire and gas leak in the pit, the report said.
China's coal mines are regarded as the most dangerous in the world, with 5,986 workers dying in the industry last year, according to official figures.
Labor rights groups, such as the Hong Kong-based China Labour Bulletin, say the real number of mining deaths could be as high as 20,000 each year.
