Three miners have been killed and another three injured in a coal mine explosion in northeast China's Liaoning Province, local government sources said.

The accident occurred Thursday morning at a coal mine in Huazi Town, Liaoyang City when 40 miners were working in the mine, said an official with Liaoyang city government.

Thirty-seven, including three miners burnt in the blast, managed to escape.

Rescuers found the bodies of the three trapped miners Friday afternoon.

The three injured were hospitalized but are now out of critical condition, according to hospital sources.

The cause of the blast is being investigated.

Statistics from China's work safety watchdog show that coal mine accidents, including explosions and floodings, killed 4,746 people across the country last year, or an average of 13 each day.

The Chinese government has pledged to close 4,000 small mines with an annual production capacity of less than 300,000 tons before the end of this year, and retain only 10,000 small coal mines by the year 2010.

(Xinhua News Agency May 19, 2007)