PINGDINGSHAN, Henan - Forty-six miners were killed on Monday morning in China's latest coal mine disaster after explosives stored in the shaft went off, emitting toxic gas.

The blast hit the Xingdong No 2 coal mine at 1:40 am on Monday in Weidong district, Pingdingshan city of Central China's Henan province, according to local authorities. Some 75 miners were working underground when the blast occurred.

After the accident, President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao directed rescue workers to "exhaust all means possible" to save the miners who were trapped. Among the trapped miners, 46 were later found dead and the other 28 emerged from the mine alive.