The blast happened as the world still celebrated Chile's dramatically successful rescue of 33 miners trapped for more than two months.
Some 276 workers were in the Chinese mine when the explosion happened and 239 escaped, according to the state work safety administration.
It wasn't clear how far underground the miners were trapped or what their conditions were, including whether or not they are alive.
The more than 70 rescuers at the scene faced two major difficulties in reaching the miners: excessive gas levels and chunks of coal loosened by the blast that fell into the shaft, according to China Central Television.
The level of gas inside the mine was 40 per cent, far higher than the normal level of near one per cent, the state-run broadcaster reported.
The gas wasn't specified, but methane is a common cause of mine blasts, and coal dust is explosive.
The bodies of the 20 dead miners had been located and rescuers were trying to retrieve them.
China's state-run media had joined the breathless global coverage of the Chilean mine rescue, and the country's propaganda and mine officials are likely to face pressure to be just as open about the progress of its rescue efforts.
China's mining industry is the most dangerous in the world, with 2600 people killed in accidents last year, and the country's leaders have been making a high-profile push in recent years to improve mine safety.
Premier Wen Jiabao has even ordered mining bosses into the mines with their workers or else risk severe punishment.
Yesterday's blast at the state-run Pingyu Coal & Electric Co Ltd mine happened as workers were drilling a hole to release pressure from a gas buildup to decrease the risk of explosions, according to the work safety administration.
The mine in the city of Yuzhou is two hours' drive outside the Henan provincial capital of Zhengzhou and about 690km south of Beijing.
China had its own stunning mine rescue in April, when 115 miners were pulled from a flooded mine in the northern province of Shanxi after more than a week underground. Agency.
Some 276 workers were in the Chinese mine when the explosion happened and 239 escaped, according to the state work safety administration.
It wasn't clear how far underground the miners were trapped or what their conditions were, including whether or not they are alive.
The more than 70 rescuers at the scene faced two major difficulties in reaching the miners: excessive gas levels and chunks of coal loosened by the blast that fell into the shaft, according to China Central Television.
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The level of gas inside the mine was 40 per cent, far higher than the normal level of near one per cent, the state-run broadcaster reported.
The gas wasn't specified, but methane is a common cause of mine blasts, and coal dust is explosive.
The bodies of the 20 dead miners had been located and rescuers were trying to retrieve them.
China's state-run media had joined the breathless global coverage of the Chilean mine rescue, and the country's propaganda and mine officials are likely to face pressure to be just as open about the progress of its rescue efforts.
China's mining industry is the most dangerous in the world, with 2600 people killed in accidents last year, and the country's leaders have been making a high-profile push in recent years to improve mine safety.
Premier Wen Jiabao has even ordered mining bosses into the mines with their workers or else risk severe punishment.
Yesterday's blast at the state-run Pingyu Coal & Electric Co Ltd mine happened as workers were drilling a hole to release pressure from a gas buildup to decrease the risk of explosions, according to the work safety administration.
The mine in the city of Yuzhou is two hours' drive outside the Henan provincial capital of Zhengzhou and about 690km south of Beijing.
China had its own stunning mine rescue in April, when 115 miners were pulled from a flooded mine in the northern province of Shanxi after more than a week underground. Agency.
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