Methane gas explosion at Russian coal mine kills 1, leaves 3 miners missing

MOSCOW – Russian officials say a methane gas explosion has ripped through a coal mine in Siberia, killing at least one miner. Three miners are missing.

A total of 105 miners were in the Dzerzhinsky mine in the Kemerovo region when the methane exploded just before 9:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The Kemerovo administration released a statement saying that 101 of the miners have made it to the surface. The statement said one of the miners is confirmed dead and rescue workers are searching for the remaining three.

The cause of the blast was unknown. The regional administration said an investigation was under way.