© Alamy Live NewsThe deadly blast occurred at about 1:30am on Tuesday at the Zoubao coal mine in the southern Hunan province
The deadly blast occurred at about 1:30am on Tuesday at the Zoubao coal mine in the southern Hunan province.
According to People's Daily, 29 people were working underground when the eruption took place, with more than a dozen managing to escape the incident unscathed.
The injured miners are currently being treated in hospital and are described as stable.
China's national safety regulator, the State Administration of Work Safety, did not immediately identify the cause of the blast, but said the site was considered a 'high gas mine.'
Gas explosions inside mines are often caused when a flame or electrical spark ignites gas leaking from the coal seam.
Ventilation systems are supposed to prevent gas from becoming trapped.
China is the world's largest producer and consumer of coal.
Its mining industry has long been one of the world's deadliest, with hundreds of deaths annually.
The work safety administration has acknowledged that struggling coal mines might be likely to overlook basic maintenance.
Authorities have announced shutdowns of outdated mines and cuts in the number of work days to improve safety conditions and reduce the smog smothering many Chinese cities.
However, the measures also threaten to increase energy prices in the midst of an ongoing economic slowdown, taxing the willingness of authorities to enforce them strictly.
Source: Associated Press
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