Five people were confirmed dead in a coal pit blast that occurred early Monday morning in Yuxian County of Zhangjiakou City, north China's Hebei Province.

According to the provincial work safety administration, the explosion took place at 5:30 on Monday at the Shuidong Coal Mine in Yuxian County, when 96 people were working underground. Of them, 79 people have managed to escape. Rescuers have retrieved the remains of five dead miners.

It is said that the blast was probably caused by explosives.

Rescue work is continuing and cause of the explosion is being investigated.

(Xinhua News Agency July 24, 2006)