15 killed in a coal mine in China

Rescuers in the southwestern Chinese city of Chongqing were still trying to find 18 missing miners on Tuesday, fearing they were killed by a gas explosion.

Hundreds of rescuers, including firefighters, police officers and security specialists, were immediately dispatched to the scene of the tragedy to find and rescue the missing miners. As a result, 15 people were declared dead.

China's coal mines continue to be among the deadliest in the world due to poor security and a rush to meet energy demand. Last month alone, a similar explosion killed 18 people in northwestern Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Another 22 were killed in a gas explosion in the Chongqing area in May.

After this explosion, the authorities temporarily closed all local coal mines with an annual production of less than 90,000 tons.