Provincial authorities on coal mine safety said the death toll is expected to rise because a large number of miners were working at the privately-owned mine near the province's Baishan city.

The exact number of workers at the time was not yet available, the official said.

The provincial Coal Mine Safety Supervision Bureau is currently working on disaster relief, he said.

The mine owners could not be reached for comment.

Sources close to Baishan's coal industry said a few days ago, 11 miners were killed in an earlier gas explosion near the city.

After that accident, local authorities ordered a shutdown of coal mines that have low production and poor management. But many coal mine owners did not comply.

China's coal mine safety situation is a big concern to the safety authorities, they said. Recently authorities have extended their supervision to dangerous chemical plant management.

Yesterday, China's dangerous chemical management authorities urged government departments and organizations to continuously improve safety on the use of hazardous substances.

Statistic indicate that more than 4,000 people died in chemical-related accidents from January to September this year. The number was up 15 percent compared with the same period last year.

(China Daily November 28, 2002)