At least 90 killed in Chinese coal mine explosion, state media reports

At least people have been killed in a coal mine blast in northern China, according to state medie

The gas explosion at the Liushenyu Coal Mine in Shanxi province is the worst mining disaster in China since 2009

There were 247 workers reportedly on duty when the blast happened at 19:29 local time on Friday (22:29 GMT), with more than 100 people reportedly pulled to safety and hundreds of rescuers sent to the site

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for no effort to be spared in efforts to treat the injured and search for survivors, and asked the government to investigate the cause of the blast and hold those responsible to account

Twenty-seven people remain in a local hospital, with one in critical condition, while the rest have minor injuries. Most were affected after inhaling poisonous gas, according to state media, though it is not clear what type of gas it was

Wang Yong, an injured miner, told state media that when the incident happened, he did not hear a sound but saw a sudden plume of smoke

"I smelled sulphur, the same smell you get from blasting. I shouted at people to run. As we were running I could see people collapsing from the fumes. Then I blacked out too, he said.”I lay there for about an hour or so before I came round on my own. I woke up the person next to me and we got out together