The death toll from a coal mine gas outburst in southwest China's Sichuan Province has risen to 12 with six still missing, rescuers said.

The incident occurred at 2:52 AM Friday in a mine in Jiuqing Town, Xingwen County. The Sichuan Provincial Work Safety Administration said 44 miners were underground at the time.

Only 26 emerged safely from the pit after the accident.

In total, relatives of ten dead miners signed contracts with the mine on Friday morning and got compensation of 500,000 yuan (US$73,099) each.

Sichuan's Vice Governor, Li Chenyun, has rushed to the site to direct rescue work.

More than 100 rescuers are still searching at the site Friday night.

The mine, belonging to the Jinhe Coal Mining Co., Ltd., has an annual production capacity of 90,000 tons.

On Thursday, a mine explosion in northeastern Liaoning Province killed 27 people and injured six.

(Xinhua News Agency September 6, 2008)