Seven miners have been trapped in a coal mine in central China's Hubei Province after a gas explosion late Thursday, rescuers said on Friday.

The miners were exploring 700 meters underground for coal deposit at the Tuya Coal Mine in Hefeng County when the explosion occurred. The gas was dense in the mine and rescuers had to put on gas masks to conduct operations.

Rescuers have located the seven but were not clear whether they were dead or not at the moment.

An investigation into the cause of the explosion is underway.

(Xinhua News Agency June 13, 2008)