6 die, at least 24 trapped in Indonesia mine blast

An explosion ripped through a coal mine in western Indonesia on Tuesday, killing six people and trapping at least 24 others who were feared dead.

Dozens of rescuers tried to reach the trapped men in the 300-foot (100-meter) -deep mine, but rock slides and a mix of gas and coal debris forced them to resurface after four hours of digging, police Chief Yasman Esha of West Sumatra province said by phone from the scene.

"We fear the miners are dead by now," Esha said.

Rescuers recovered six bodies in the hours after the morning blast. Officials said three other people were in critical condition at a hospital.

Police were trying to determine what caused the blast. A preliminary investigation said it was triggered by leaking methane gas.

The mine, owned by a local company, is 560 miles (900 kilometers) northwest of the capital, Jakarta.

Indonesia has some of the world's largest coal deposits and is a major coal exporter.

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