Experts began their underground investigation Friday afternoon into the cause of last week's deadly gas explosion at the Daping Coal Mine in central China's Henan Province.

Twenty-four investigators, dispatched by the State Council to the state-owned coal mine in Xinmi City, entered the mine. A deadly gas explosion occurred at the coal mine of Zhengzhou Coal Industry Group, or Zhengmei, at 10:10 p.m. last Wednesday when 446 miners were working underground. Only 298 managed to escape.

So far, 141 bodies of trapped miners were recovered.

Li Jiucheng, an investigator and head of the provincial coal industry safety supervision bureau, said that all hidden dangers underground are under control.

The rescue work will continue, Li said, as seven are still missing, and the "face fall" at the No. 13121 operation platform has not been cleared.

Li did not say how long the investigation will last.

Of the 141 bodies, 108 have been identified.

(Xinhua News Agency October 30, 2004)