Till 23:00, July 12, 2005, 80 people had been killed and four injured in the gas blast at the Shenlong Coal Mine in Fukang County of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, according to the website of the State Administration of Work Safety.

Rescuers were searching for the three who were still missing.

Rescuers back from underground, July 12, 2005.

Zhang Qingli (L), deputy Party secretary of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, directs the rescue work.

An entrance to the coal mine.