Eighteen miners were killed and 39 others were still trapped in a coal mine blast in the Linjiazhuang Coal Mine of Jinzhong City in north China's Shanxi Province, confirmed local officials on Sunday morning.

The blast occurred at 4 PM Saturday when 64 miners were working underground in the coal mine.

Six miners managed to escape after the blast. Another one poisoned by carbonmonoxide was rescued at 3 AM. Sunday and sent to the local hospital. Rescue work for the trapped miners is going on.

Li Yizhong, head of the State Administration of Work Safety, and Zhao Tiechui, head of the State Administration of Coal Mine Safety are hurrying to the spot to direct rescue work.

(Xinhua News Agency July 16, 2006)