4 dead, 8 injured in central China mine explosion

Four miners were killed and another eight were injured in an explosion that occurred Tuesday evening at a coal mine in central China's Hubei Province, local authorities said Wednesday. The blast happened at 10:30 p.m., when 58 miners were working in a mine belonging to the Jinfu Mining Company in Badong County, Xinhua quoted the county government as saying. One worker died at the scene and 11 injured workers were taken to a local hospital, where three more died from their injuries. Local police have taken some company personnel into custody and the county's coal mines have been required to temporarily suspend production. The cause of the explosion is under investigation.