BEIJING (Reuters) - More than 100 Chinese miners were feared to have died in a blast at an illegally operated pit in the southeastern province of Jiangsu, state media and rescue officials said on Monday.
The bodies of 15 miners were recovered and 91 were missing, presumed dead, said an official in charge of the rescue effort, who declined to be identified.
Thirteen miners had been rescued alive so far, said the official.
The official Xinhua news agency said Sunday's explosion was caused by a build-up of gas in the mine in the city of Xuzhou, about 190 miles north of the provincial capital of Nanjing.
Xinhua said the mine was operating without a license and was ordered to halt production last month as part of a nationwide crackdown on illegally run mines which are responsible for thousands of deaths each year.