26 people are dead after a suspected gas leak caused an explosion in a coal mine in central China's Henan province. There were altogether 46 workers underground when the accident happened at about eight p.m. on Tuesday.

Twenty of them were rescued four hours later. The Suzhuang coal mine is located in Mianchi County in suburban Sanmenxia City, and is operated by a large state-owned enterprise called YiMa Industry Group. It is one of the group's coal mines that is undergoing reform and restructuring this year. According to regulations, the mine should not be in operation during regrouping. The cause of the accident is under investigation.