Coal mine blast in China kills 16

HULUDAO, China, April 14 (UPI) -- Sixteen workers are dead after a coal mine blast in Liaoning province in northeastern China, officials said Monday.

Officials said they had found the bodies of the 16 miners Monday, two days after an explosion at the No. 3 Coal Mine of Shaguotun Village near Huludao City, Xinhua reported. Rescuers had stopped searching the accident site.

The gas explosion reportedly occurred Saturday morning where 39 miners were working. Twenty-one escaped unhurt. Two more were hospitalized for injuries were expected to survive.

Authorities said workers were illegally mining beyond authorized locations. Investigators had yet to confirm the cause of the incident.