At least 20 miners were killed in a gas burst in a colliery in central China's Henan Province Saturday, the rescue headquarters said.

Rescuers have retrieved 20 bodies by 1:00 PM and are still searching for other miners believed to be trapped underground after a gas burst at about 6 a.m. in Yuzhou City, the rescue headquarters said.

The ill-fated mine is owned by Pingyu Coal & Electric Co. Ltd., a company jointly established by Zhong Ping Energy Chemical Group and China Power Investment Corp..

More than 30 miners were believed to be working in the shaft when the accident occurred, officers of the coal mine said.

(Xinhua News Agency October 16, 2010)