Toll climbs in China mine blast

More than 40 miners have died and dozens remain trapped underground after a gas explosion in a coal mine, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reports.

The blast at the mine in Gujiao City, in Shanxi province, occurred before dawn when 436 miners were underground.

Xinhua said 340 miners had managed to escape, but some had died in hospital and others were badly hurt. Initial reports suggested 11 miners had died.

China's mining industry is the world's deadliest, with 3,200 deaths last year.

However, China has said safety is improving, with the number of fatalities from coal mining accidents falling 15% in 2008 compared with the previous year.

Xinhua also reported that the number of accidents had fallen by 19% to 413,700 last year.

The Shanxi Jiaomei Group is China's largest producer of coking coal and operates 28 mines, according to the Associated Press news agency.