<p>Sixteen workers died and one is in a critical condition after being trapped underground in a coal mine in southwest China on Sunday, reported state broadcaster CCTV.</p>.<p>A conveyor belt caught fire in the early hours of the morning, state news agency Xinhua cited the government as saying, which produced dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.</p>.<p>Medics are fighting to save the life of the remaining survivor, CCTV reported.</p>.<p>The cause of the accident is still under investigation, said the Qijiang district government on social media platform Weibo.</p>.<p>The facility, Songzao Coal Mine, is owned by state energy firm Chongqing Energy and located just outside the city of Chongqing.</p>.<p>Mining accidents are common in China, where the industry has a poor safety record and regulations are often weakly enforced.</p>.<p>At least 14 miners were killed in a coal and gas blast last December at a mine in southwestern Guizhou province.</p>.<p>In December 2018, seven miners were killed in Chongqing after the connecting segment of a skip broke and fell down a shaft.</p>.<p>In October the same year, 21 miners died in eastern Shandong province after pressure inside a mine caused rocks to fracture and break, blocking the tunnel and trapping the workers. Only one miner was rescued alive.</p>
<p>Sixteen workers died and one is in a critical condition after being trapped underground in a coal mine in southwest China on Sunday, reported state broadcaster CCTV.</p>.<p>A conveyor belt caught fire in the early hours of the morning, state news agency Xinhua cited the government as saying, which produced dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.</p>.<p>Medics are fighting to save the life of the remaining survivor, CCTV reported.</p>.<p>The cause of the accident is still under investigation, said the Qijiang district government on social media platform Weibo.</p>.<p>The facility, Songzao Coal Mine, is owned by state energy firm Chongqing Energy and located just outside the city of Chongqing.</p>.<p>Mining accidents are common in China, where the industry has a poor safety record and regulations are often weakly enforced.</p>.<p>At least 14 miners were killed in a coal and gas blast last December at a mine in southwestern Guizhou province.</p>.<p>In December 2018, seven miners were killed in Chongqing after the connecting segment of a skip broke and fell down a shaft.</p>.<p>In October the same year, 21 miners died in eastern Shandong province after pressure inside a mine caused rocks to fracture and break, blocking the tunnel and trapping the workers. Only one miner was rescued alive.</p>