Eleven miners have been confirmed dead following a gas explosion at a coal mine in Xinhua County in Central China's Hunan Province.

Seven other miners are still missing, according to an official with the provincial bureau for safety supervision. The disaster occurred at 1:40 pm on Wednesday in Xinyuan Coal Mine in Wentang Town.

About 300 tons of coal erupted following the gas explosion. The mine had received relevant production approval from the county and municipal coal mine safety bureaux.

Zhou Rentao and Huang Jiaxun from the provincial coal mine safety bureau as well as Dou Yongshan with the State Bureau for Supervising Coal Mine Safety, were all at the scene.

Search efforts for the seven missing miners continue.

Coal mine safety has become a serious issue due to the number of mining accidents and explosions that have taken place in recent months.

In the first quarter of this year, a total of 745 accidents - resulting in the deaths of 1,182 people - have occurred. In April, 329 people lost their lives in coal mine incidents around the country.

The State Administration of Work Safety has started a nationwide investigation on safety in mines recently.

The investigation checks all coal mines, particularly small private and large State-owned ones. Those which fail to meet safety requirements are told to improve safety measures or be shut down.

(China Daily May 17, 2002)