Death toll rises in China coal mine blast

 The death toll from a gas blast at a coal mine in the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan rose to 19, with 28 miners still trapped underground, according to the local city government.

A total of 154 miners were working underground when the accident occurred Wednesday at around 6 p.m. at Xiaojiawan Coal Mine, according to Panzhihua city's official account on Sina Weibo, China's equivalent of Twitter.

Within an hour, 104 had been rescued, but three had died en route to the hospital, the city said.

Xinhua identifies the mine as belonging to Zhengjin Industrial and Trade Co., Ltd. in Panzhihua.