Initial reports confirmed 13 deaths on Wednesday, with confirmation of 22 fatalities on Thursday; and the number has now climbed even further. The disaster occurred some 900m below ground at the Wulong Coal Mine, owned by the Fuxin Mining Industrial Group, official news agency Xinhua reported.
The entire Fuxin group has stopped coal production in order to review safety, Xinhua said.
China's coal mines are the world's deadliest, with fatal accidents often blamed on the lack of enforced safety precautions and vital equipment, such as ventilators and appropriate rescue tools.
