An explosion next to an elementary school in northwestern China killed more than 11 people, including 2 students, officials reported Thursday. Initial reports said 20 children were killed when explosives stored in a building next door to their school, intended for use in coal mining, apparently caught fire. Eight people were injured, according to Xinhua press agency. The accident happened in Hougou in the Pu region of the Shanxi province. The explosion, which occurred on Wednesday, caused the school to collapse while the children were in their classrooms. The two students killed were 7- and 9-years-old. Their teacher and 8 other villagers were killed, including the mine owner. The national media has limited coverage of the incident as China's mining industry's poor safety measures will be a topic at the upcoming plenary session of the National People's Congress.
