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17 coal miners die after blast in west China

By WTOP Staff

BEIJING (AP) — Seventeen coal miners have died after being trapped by a weekend gas explosion in northwestern China.

The official Xinhua (shihn-wah) news agency reports that the miners were trapped Saturday by the blast at a mine 70 miles from Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang (shihn-jahng) region.

Three other people working inside the mine were rescued.

The cause of the explosion is under investigation.

China has the world’s deadliest mines, although the safety record has improved as regulators strengthen enforcement of safety rules.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Emergency guide: What you should do to prepare for emergencies

By WTOP Staff
WASHINGTON — Do you know what you'd do if an emergency hits? What if you're at work, your spouse is stuck in traffic and your children are in school? There's no way to plan for every emergency, but you can make sure you're prepared for different scenarios, including making a plan for your family and building a kit of emergency supplies.
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