A total of 29 people have been confirmed dead in a coal mine gas blast in central China's Henan Province by 5:00 a.m. Friday, according to local sources.

Another six people injured in the blast, including two severely injured, have been sent to hospital.

The explosion occurred at the Xinsheng Coal Mine in Liangwa Town in Lushan County at about 12:20 Thursday noon.

Right after the accident, the local government sent rescue workers to the site. So far, 14 batches of rescuers have been sent down into the mine to search for the possible survivals, according to Zhang Jufeng, director of the local coal mine bureau, and also chief in charge of the rescue work at the scene. But Zhang also said that the gas density in the mine is still at a high level, Most of employees of the mine are local residents, said Zhang.

Source: Xinhua