Saturday, March 19 2005 20:42 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Beijing: At least 17 miners were killed and 52 others missing in a gas explosion at a coal mine in north China today (March 19, 2005), the third major coal mine accident in the country this week.

The underground gas explosion took place in north China's Shanxi Province, the country's top coalmine producer, local officials said.

The blast occurred at noon at the Xishui Colliery in Pinglu District, Shuozhou City. Forty-nine miners were trapped, and 20 miners of a neighbouring coal pit owned by another mine were also buried because the blast caused collapse of the coalmine wall, Xinhua news agency reported.

The authorities said the Xishui Colliery is licensed with its annual output of 150,000 tonnes of coal.

Shanxi Governor Zhang Baoshun has arrived at the scene to direct the rescue and investigation work.

The provincial Government has ordered a suspension of production on those mines unqualified in safety measures.

On Thursday, at least 18 miners were killed in a coalmine after an underground gas blast tore through the shaft in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality.

On Monday, at least 17 miners were killed after a blast tore through a coal mine in Qitaihe, a city in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.

China, the world's leading coal producer, reported 3,639 accidents last year, causing 6,027 deaths.

On Thursday, the Chinese Government announced the formation of new office in cooperation with 11 Ministries and institutes to stem the country's rampant coal mine accidents.