Nine people have been confirmed dead and 19 others are missing following two coal mine gas outburst accidents in north China's Hebei Province, local work-safety authorities said on Saturday.

The first accident took place at about 2 AM on Thursday at Dashucun Coal Mine in Handan City, when 313 people were working underground. Some 296 managed to escape.

Of the 17 trapped miners in the accident, nine trapped miners have been confirmed dead and eight others are missing.

Dashucun Coal Mine is a state-owned colliery with a designed production capacity of 900,000 tons per year. It went into operation in January 2004.

In the same city, an outburst occurred at 12:25 PM on Friday in the Tao'er coal mine when 17 miners were working underground. Six of them managed to escape and 11 trapped.

Tao'er Coal Mine started operation in 1982 with a designed raw coal production capacity of 900,000 tons per year.

To avoid possible explosion from thick-concentrated gas in the shafts, rescuer operations are slow and careful. Rescuers are taking measures to reduce gas concentration at the site and making every effort to save the trapped miners.

(Xinhua News Agency April 21, 2007)