A gas explosion at a coal mine in northern China has killed at least 90 people and left many more trapped below, as confirmed by reports from state media.
The incident is being labeled as the country's worst mining disaster in 17 years. A total of 247 workers were reportedly underground during the time that the blast took place, which occurred at 7:29 pm GMT at the Liushenyu coal mine in the Shanxi province.
Most of them were brought to the surface by Saturday morning, but at least 90 ended up being killed in the tragedy.
A total of 345 emergency personnel were dispatched to this site, with rescuers earlier looking intensively for nine people who remained unaccounted for, as confirmed by the news agency.
Friday's explosion was the worst mining accident in China's history since 2009, when 108 people were killed in a mine blast in the northeast of Heilongjiang province.