Fri, 27 Nov 2009 5:18p.m.
China's official Xinhua News Agency is reporting that nine workers were killed and another is missing in an explosion at a coal mine in the country's southwest.
Thursday night's blast in Guizhou province comes just days after a massive explosion in the country's northeast killed at least 107 miners in China's worst mining accident in two years.
China's coal industry remains the world's deadliest, despite repeated efforts to close the most dangerous mines and boost safety at large-scale operations.
Xinhua said 172 miners were working in Guizhou's Zhenxing mine at the time of the blast, all but 10 of whom escaped to the surface. Three miners were injured by flying debris.
AP