A detonation of explosives at a colliery in north China's Shanxi Province on Wednesday morning left seven dead and 23 others injured as of Thursday afternoon.

The provincial administration of coal mine safety supervision said the blast took place at 10:00 AM at Shiyu Coal Mine in Xiangyuan County of Changzhi City.

The wounded are all in stable condition.

According to preliminary investigations, the explosives were illegally stored at the mine, and a further probe into the cause of the blast is underway.

(Xinhua News Agency August 19, 2005)