A gas explosion at a coal mine in southern China has killed at least 26 miners.

Officials say 107 miners have been rescued after the blast late Wednesday in Sichuan province.

State media reported another 21 people were still trapped underground Thursday as rescue operations continued.

Police were questioning the mine's owner.

Nearly 2,000 people died in coal mine accidents last year in China, where lax safety standards make the mines among the world's deadliest. But official statistics show the number of fatalities has been falling, dropping 19 percent between 2010 and 2011.