At Least 203 Dead In Chinese Mine Blast (moved from ATSNN), page 1

A gas explosion has killed 203 miners in a coal mine located in northeast China. This has been the worst mining disaster reported since Communist rule began in 1949.

abcnews.go.com
FUXIN, China Feb 15, 2005 — Three years after a promised overhaul of China's workplace safety system, an explosion deep in a coal shaft killed 203 miners and left 12 more missing, the government said Tuesday in its worst reported mining disaster since communist rule began in 1949.

Dozens of rescuers worked through the night in freezing temperatures to try to reach the miners who may have been trapped by Monday's blast in the Sunjiawan coal mine in northeastern Liaoning province.

The cause of the gas explosion, which went off about 794 feet below the surface, was under investigation, state media said.

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

To make things worse there has been a large snow fall making things very difficult to locate 12 missing minors.
A BBC correspondent is saying that the disaster underlines the government's inability to ensure safety in its mines.

Also Chinese journalists say that the government has ordered a news blackout in regards to this story. I've have been hearing a lot about these blackouts and to me it shows guilt on the governments part.

Related News Links:
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
news.bbc.co.uk
www.theaustralian.news.com.au