At least 16 people were killed in a coal mine fire Sunday in southwest China's Guizhou province, local officials said.&nbsp;

The fire broke out at the Shanjiaoshu Coal Mine at around 8:10 am (0010 GMT), the Panzhou City government said in a notice posted to its website on Sunday night.

"It was preliminarily determined that the conveyor belt caught fire, causing 16 people to be trapped," it added, with no further details on what was damaged or how the fire began.

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Emergency personnel extinguished the blaze and temperatures at the site returned to normal, but "after preliminary verification, 16 people have no vital signs", the notice said.&nbsp;

The Panzhou City mine is about 3,600 kilometres (2,250 miles) southwest of the capital Beijing.&nbsp;

China -- the world's biggest emitter of the pollutants driving climate change -- operates thousands of coal mines, even as Beijing has pledged to peak greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

While safety standards in the country's mining sector have improved in recent decades, accidents still frequently plague the industry, often due to lax enforcement of protocols, especially at the most rudimentary sites.

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Last year, 245 people died in 168 accidents, according to official figures.

An explosion at a coal mine in Shaanxi province in northern China last month killed 11 people, nine of whom were trapped inside. Another two people managed to make it to the surface before they succumbed to their injuries, according to state media reports at the time.

In February, a coal mine partly collapsed in the remote and sparsely populated Alxa League of the northern Inner Mongolia region after a 180-metre-high (590-foot) slope gave way. Dozens of people and vehicles were buried under a mountain of debris, but authorities did not disclose the final death toll for months.

It was only revealed in June that 53 people had been killed.

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In a sign of that incident's severity, Chinese President Xi Jinping at the time ordered authorities to "do everything possible to search for and rescue the missing people... and protect the security of people's lives and property as well as overall social stability".

Authorities deployed hundreds of personnel and over 100 pieces of equipment as part of the rescue operation, according to local government statements.

And in December, around 40 people were working underground when a gold mine in the northwestern Xinjiang region collapsed.

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At least 16 people were killed in a coal mine fire Sunday in southwest China's Guizhou province, local officials said. The fire broke out at the Shanjiaoshu Coal Mine at around 8:10 am (0010 GMT), the Panzhou City government said in a notice posted to its website on Sunday night.

At least 16 people were killed in a coal mine fire Sunday in southwest China's Guizhou province, local officials said. The fire broke out at the Shanjiaoshu Coal Mine at around 8:10 am (0010 GMT), the Panzhou City government said in a notice posted to its website on Sunday night. "It was preliminarily determined that the conveyor belt caught fire, causing 16 people to be trapped," it added, with no further details on what was damaged or how the fire began. ALSO READ | US-China tensions: Record number of graduates returning to China from abroad Emergency personnel extinguished the blaze and temperatures at the site returned to normal, but "after preliminary verification, 16 people have no vital signs", the notice said. The Panzhou City mine is about 3,600 kilometres (2,250 miles) southwest of the capital Beijing. China -- the world's biggest emitter of the pollutants driving climate change -- operates thousands of coal mines, even as Beijing has pledged to peak greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. While safety standards in the country's mining sector have improved in recent decades, accidents still frequently plague the industry, often due to lax enforcement of protocols, especially at the most rudimentary sites. ALSO READ | China scooped up human DNA from nations around the world, spurring fears of a genetic arms race Last year, 245 people died in 168 accidents, according to official figures. An explosion at a coal mine in Shaanxi province in northern China last month killed 11 people, nine of whom were trapped inside. Another two people managed to make it to the surface before they succumbed to their injuries, according to state media reports at the time. In February, a coal mine partly collapsed in the remote and sparsely populated Alxa League of the northern Inner Mongolia region after a 180-metre-high (590-foot) slope gave way. Dozens of people and vehicles were buried under a mountain of debris, but authorities did not disclose the final death toll for months. It was only revealed in June that 53 people had been killed. ALSO READ | 'Won't sit idly...': China claps back after Germany insinuates ban on Huawei, ZTE 5G parts In a sign of that incident's severity, Chinese President Xi Jinping at the time ordered authorities to "do everything possible to search for and rescue the missing people... and protect the security of people's lives and property as well as overall social stability". Authorities deployed hundreds of personnel and over 100 pieces of equipment as part of the rescue operation, according to local government statements. And in December, around 40 people were working underground when a gold mine in the northwestern Xinjiang region collapsed. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

China: At least 16 killed in coal mine fire in Guizhou province

Poland's police chief Jaroslaw Szymczyk was injured after he accidentally fired a grenade launcher gifted by Ukraine, news agency Reuters reported on Saturday citing Polish media. The explosion took place on Wednesday damaging a ceiling in the building. Szymczyk and two others suffered injuries.&nbsp;

Earlier, Poland's interior ministry had not confirmed media reports that the explosion was caused by the grenade launcher. The Polish police, on the other hand, said on Thursday it was investigating "an act consisting of unintentionally causing a violent release of energy that threatened the life or health of many people or property."

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Speaking to RMF FM, Szymczyk said, "When I was moving the used grenade launchers, which were gifts from the Ukrainians, there was an explosion." He added that he was moving the grenade launchers into an upright position.&nbsp;

The police chief had received the two grenade launchers as presents during his visits to the police and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, RMF reported citing a source from a Polish delegation that visited the war-torn country.&nbsp;

The source added that officials assured the delegation that the launchers were not loaded, adding the delegation took them back to Warsaw before leaving them in the back room of Szymczyk's office. However, this news is not yet confirmed, Reuters further reported on Saturday.&nbsp;

Szymczyk has been criticised over the explosion. Polish media reported that commentators with backgrounds in the security services said that military equipment should not have been taken into Poland from outside the European Union (EU) or taken into an office.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Poland's police chief Jaroslaw Szymczyk was injured after he accidentally fired a grenade launcher gifted by Ukraine, news agency Reuters reported on Saturday citing Polish media.

Poland's police chief Jaroslaw Szymczyk was injured after he accidentally fired a grenade launcher gifted by Ukraine, news agency Reuters reported on Saturday citing Polish media. The explosion took place on Wednesday damaging a ceiling in the building. Szymczyk and two others suffered injuries. Earlier, Poland's interior ministry had not confirmed media reports that the explosion was caused by the grenade launcher. The Polish police, on the other hand, said on Thursday it was investigating "an act consisting of unintentionally causing a violent release of energy that threatened the life or health of many people or property." ALSO READ | Ukraine works to restore power as Vladimir Putin meets Russian military officials Speaking to RMF FM, Szymczyk said, "When I was moving the used grenade launchers, which were gifts from the Ukrainians, there was an explosion." He added that he was moving the grenade launchers into an upright position. The police chief had received the two grenade launchers as presents during his visits to the police and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, RMF reported citing a source from a Polish delegation that visited the war-torn country. The source added that officials assured the delegation that the launchers were not loaded, adding the delegation took them back to Warsaw before leaving them in the back room of Szymczyk's office. However, this news is not yet confirmed, Reuters further reported on Saturday. Szymczyk has been criticised over the explosion. Polish media reported that commentators with backgrounds in the security services said that military equipment should not have been taken into Poland from outside the European Union (EU) or taken into an office. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Polish police chief accidentally fires grenade launcher given as gift by Ukraine; injured

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China: At least 16 killed in coal mine fire in Guizhou province

Polish police chief accidentally fires grenade launcher given as gift by Ukraine; injured