Eighteen miners were confirmed dead in Thursday's coal mine blast in Chongqing Municipality, southwest China, Friday morning.

Nineteen miners were trapped after the blast occurred around 3:00 p.m. Thursday at the Sulongsi coal mine, Xinzhen Town in Fengjie County, local officials said.

Rescuers are still searching for the other trapped miner, and investigation of the cause of blast is underway.

Source: Xinhua