Six workers are still missing, the State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS) said.

Rescuers rushed to the Da Yangquan Coal Mine after the 9:15 pm blast, said Shi Ping, an official with the dispatcher's office of the Shanxi Supervision Bureau of Coal Mine Safety.

The bodies were recovered after several hours of searching. The injured workers remain in stable condition at a local hospital, he said.

It is unlikely rescuers will be able to free the six trapped miners because the 150 meters of tunnels that separates them need clearing - a lengthy task.

Da Yangquan Coal Mine is State-owned. It is home to the largest coal mine resources in China.

Zhao Tiechui, vice-director of SAWS, urged the local bureau to co-operate with local authorities on the accident investigation and strictly monitor safety procedures at the other Yangquan coal mines.

Gas explosions are common and often fatal at coal mines in China, despite increased efforts to improve work safety in recent years. Officials are looking at how this latest accident occurred.

Statistics show that 53,302 people died in 44,723 accidents, including coal mine accidents, during the first half of the year.

To reduce the death rate, China is spot checking different industrial sectors nationwide.

SAWS officials said coal mines and chemicals are the two major industries most in need of stricter supervision.

(China Daily July 17, 2002)