Beijing - When a gas explosion at 7:10 a.m.  occurred on Sunday  it left about 170 Chinese miners trapped thousands of feet underground.

According to press reports, Horrific mining disasterswhich occurred in central China on Oct 20 and Nov. 20 were given complete coverage than normal.  In China, the news about  tragedies, strikes, accidents, and of disheartening nature are rarely given. 

The Coal-mining disasters are normally embarrassments to the Chinese leaders, because it is a regular feature, which they want to avoid to release it  to the press. The state-run Xinhua agency reported that some 4,153 people died  in China's coal mines during the first nine months of this year, though there were more than 20,000 deaths occur annually according to China Labor Bulletin in Hong Kong. 

According to World Asia Pacifaic, the frank reporting on mine disasters is relatively new. Mining reform in China has proven not only politically difficult but also expensive and complex. Absent an easy fix for the problem, China's leadership is trying to show concern and deflect criticism via official veracity.

Most if not all of the details on Sunday came exclusively from Xinhua news agency reports - some 300 workers were in the Chenjiashan state-run coal mine shaft as a gas blast five miles from the mine's entrance trapped half the miners.

At press time, more than 170 miners remained trapped below ground with no ability to communicate with the outside world. Rescuers managed to save scores of miners, but were rebuffed from reaching others by thick smoke.

Only a few years ago, current Premier Wen Jiabao, then vice-premier, was dealing with mining crises first hand, as head of the state industrial safety bureau. In that role, he narrowly escaped censure himself, and the current openness policy is  based on his experience. It has also allowed for greater venting of anger by Chinese on Internet message boards.