Explosion in mine kills at least 40

At least 40 people were killed in a gas blast at a coal mine in northern China today, with another 74 missing, state television CCTV reported.

It said 13 miners were rescued after the early morning explosion in the Rui Zhiyuan mine in the city of Linfen in north-central Shanxi province. CCTV did not give any other details.

China's coal mining industry is the most dangerous in the world, averaging 13 deaths a day from fires, explosions and floods. In August, 181 miners died when heavy rains flooded two mines in the eastern province of Shandong.