Sixteen miners are dead and four missing following a coal mine gas explosion Sunday morning in north Hebei Province.

The blast occurred at 11:03 am at the Longtai Coal Mine in Zhangjiakou City when 29 miners were working about 380 meters underground. Nine miners were saved.

As of 8:00 pm, rescuers had found 16 bodies.

The Longtai Coal Mine, with an annual capacity of 50,000 tons, is situated in the city's Baicao County.

Officials with the provincial supervision bureau on coal mine safety have arrived at the site to monitor rescue efforts and investigate the cause of the blast.

(Xinhua News Agency December 7, 2003)