China mine explosion: death toll leaps to more than 80 after gas blast

The death toll from a gas explosion at a coalmine in northern China’s Shanxi province has risen to at least 90, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Saturday. The gas explosion happened Friday evening at the Liushenyu coalmine in Qinyuan county, while 247 workers were underground, state media agency Xinhua reported. Earlier reports said eight people had been killed, while more than 200 people had been brought safely to the surface. …