BEIJING, March 21 (Reuters) - An explosion trapped 21 Chinese miners but the pit owner delayed reporting the accident for days, Xinhua news agency said on Wednesday in an all-too-familiar disaster to hit the world's deadliest coal industry.

The accident happened on Sunday in Jincheng in China's northern province of Shanxi.

"The coal mine owner failed to report (the blast) to relevant government departments immediately," Xinhua said, quoting sources from the provincial bureau of work safety.

Xinhua did not when the accident was reported or if there was any chance of finding the miners alive.

Last year, 4,746 workers were killed in mine blasts, floods and collapses as collieries pushed production beyond safety limits to meet demand from the booming economy.

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