Monday, November 28 2005 14:08 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Beijing: At least 65 miners are confirmed dead and 149 others still missing following a colliery explosion in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, the local government said today (Nov 28, 2005).

Altogether 221 miners were working underground when the blast occurred last night (Nov 27, 2005) at the state-run Dongfeng Coal Mine run by Qitaihe branch of the Heilongjiang Longmei Mining (Group) Co, Ltd.

By today morning, 42 miners had been saved and rescuers found 30 dead bodies down the pit. A 126-member rescue team are working all-out to search for the remaining 149 miners.

Senior local officials, including the provincial governor, Zhang Zuoji are at the site to oversee the rescue operation, sources reported.

Investigators said the tragedy was caused by coal-dust explosion, which knocked out all ventilation systems in the pit. By today morning, the main ventilation system has resumed operation.

Longmei Group is a mining conglomerate of four state-owned major coal businesses in the northeastern province.

China, the world's largest coal producer, has witnessed a series of major coal mine accidents this year as the nation faced an acute power shortage. Officials often blame the growing number of accidents to lax safety standards in illegally-run mines, especially in the far-flung countryside.