At least 35 people have been killed and 44 others trapped after a gas explosion at a coal mine in central China.
A total of 93 people were working in the mine in Pingdingshan city in Henan province when the blast took place in the early hours.
The State Administration of Work Safety said 14 people were able to escape.
Rescue efforts are continuing, according to a spokesman for the work safety watchdog, adding that an agency official had been dispatched to the scene to oversee the operation involving dozens of personnel.
Ventilation was restored in most of the mine shafts before noon, the official Xinhua news agency reported, quoting Zhang Jufeng, an official with the city's coal mine bureau.
The agency, quoting a spokesman for the city's Communist Party committee, said the Xinhua No. 4 pit was undergoing renovations and had not yet been authorised by the city government to resume operations.
The explosion comes just a few days after Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang called on authorities to improve safety in China's coal mines - in particular to prevent gas blast accidents, according to remarks published by Xinhua.
Safety standards
China's coal mines are among the most dangerous in the world, with safety standards often ignored in the quest for profits and the drive to meet surging demand for coal - the source of about 70% of China's energy.
Official figures show that more than 3,200 workers died in collieries last year. However, independent labour groups say the actual figure could be much higher, as many accidents are covered up in order to avoid costly mine shutdowns.
The Chief of the State Administration of Work Safety, Luo Lin, said on Saturday that officials would shut down about 1,000 small coal mines this year in an attempt to improve management and safety.
Seven major coal mine accidents in China in August all occurred at small facilities.
