**Six miners have been killed and more than 20 are missing after an accident at a coal mine in the eastern US.**An underground explosion was reported at the Upper Big Branch mine some 30 miles (50 km) south of Charleston, in West Virginia.
The accident happened around 1500 (1900 GMT), said the mine’s owner Massey Energy Company.
The extent of the damage caused remains unclear, and emergency teams from all over West Virginia are on the scene.
Massey Energy says on its website that it has a safety record that is above the national average, with three fatalities in the last 12 years.
Last year 34 miners were killed in accidents across the US, the lowest on record.This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.