At least fourteen miners were killed and 11 others were trapped after an explosion in a coal mine in central China's Henan Province early on Friday.

The incident took place at about 1:00 AM in a mine owned by the Pingyu Coal and Power Company, which is based in Yuzhou City, according to a source from its parent firm Pingdingshan Coal Industry Group.

No further information is available at present. A rescue effort is under way.

(Xinhua News Agency August 1, 2008)