At least 58 miners were trapped underground after an explosion at a coal mine early Monday in central China's Henan province, the government said, dpa reported.
The blast hit an explosives store at the Xingdong number 2 mine in Henan's Pingdingshan city, the State Administration of Work Safety reported.
Two rescue teams were trying to reach the missing miners, state media said.
Accidents kill thousands of people annually in Chinese coal mines. The accidents are often triggered by outdated equipment and poor safety measures.