Nine people were killed and 28 others injured after an accident involving carbon monoxide poisoning at a gold mine in northeast China's Jilin Province early on Tuesday morning, local authorities have said.
A total of 51 miners were working underground when a fire broke out around 4 a.m. inside the Laojinchang gold mine in Huadian City, resulting in a high density of carbon monoxide, according to the city's publicity department.
Thirteen people escaped or were lifted out of the mine shortly after the accident, while another was pulled out later without injuries.
All the injured have been sent to nearby hospitals, though their condition has not been confirmed.
The mine, about 300 km from the provincial capital of Changchun, is well licensed and has an annual capacity of 46,500 tonnes.
An investigation into the cause of the accident is under way.
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