Henan coal mine blast kills 47

An explosion at an illegally operated coal mine in Henan province killed 47 people, AFP reported. The accident at the Xingdong No. 2 mine near Pingdingshan, Henan occurred when a store of gunpowder detonated. The blast trapped 75 miners underground; some of the 28 who emerged alive were seriously injured. State media reported that a police investigation found the mine’s license had expired on June 6 and had not been renewed. Officially, 2,631 miners were killed in China last year, but because many accidents are not officially reported, the true total is thought to be higher.