Blaze at a coal mine company building in northern China kills 19 and injures dozens

BEIJING (AP) — A fire burned in a coal company building early Thursday in a northern Chinese city, killing 19 people and injuring a few dozen more. State broadcaster CCTV reported the building belongs to Yongju Coal Company and is in Lvliang city in northern Shanxi province, a major coal-producing region. District officials said rescue and emergency services were at the scene. CCTV said they evacuated 63 people, though it is unclear if the 19 dead were among that figure. The blaze appeared to be in a building with offices and dormitories and not where coal was being mined. Coal mine accidents are not uncommon in China, though the government has been working on improving safety.