Authorities have confirmed that 32 people were killed in two coal mine accidents in China earlier this week, state media said on Friday, in the latest incidents to blight the industry.
In the central province of Henan, rescuers have found 16 bodies from a colliery in Dengfeng city following a lethal gas leak, the official Xinhua news agency reported, citing a spokesman for the local work safety administration.
The leak occurred late on Monday at the Sanyuandong coal mine. A total of 127 miners were in the pit at the time, but 111 of them were quickly brought to safety, Xinhua reported.
In southwest China's Guizhou province, 16 other miners were killed in a similar gas outburst on Tuesday at the Mingyang coal mine in Renhuai city. Forty-three others managed to escape or were rescued, Xinhua said.
Both accidents are under investigation. China's vast coal mining industry is plagued by lax regulation, corruption and inefficiency, as mines rush to meet soaring energy demand.
In 2009 2,631 miners were killed in China, according to official figures, but independent labour groups say the actual figure could be much higher as many accidents are covered up to avoid costly shutdowns.