AT LEAST 11 mineworkers were killed today in the second deadly coalmine accident to hit China in two days, pointing to continuing safety issues despite a major decline in deaths among miners in recent years.

Officials are investigating the blast at the Songlin mine. Some 19 people had been working in the mine when an explosion ripped through the shaft early in the morning.

Yesterday’s blast follows another explosion and fire early on Wednesday in Liaoning province, in which 26 coalminers were killed.

A further 50 miners were injured in the disaster, in a complex run by the state-owned Fuxin Coal Corporataion.

Of those, 30 had serious burns, eight were in intensive care and four were still in danger of dying.