Beijing: At least 141 miners were still trapped inside a coal mine in China and search is continuing to rescue them after a fierce gas explosion ripped through the underground facility, killing at least 25 miners and injuring 45 others.

At least 25 miners were confirmed dead in the explosion in Northwest China's Shaanxi province, while another 127 miners, who were working underground when the explosion took place in the State-owned Chenjiashan coal mine, managed to escape.

There were 293 miners working underground when the accident occurred at 7:20 am (4:50 am IST) in coal pits some 8,000 meters away from the entrance.

Those who escaped were mainly workers near the entrance, who suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning or scratch injury. All the injured, including 11 who are seriously wounded, have been hospitalised, Xinhua news agency quoted officials from the rescue headquarters as saying.

Rescue work was hampered initially due to the thick concentration of carbon monoxide in the air, which has exceeded the safety standard.

A rescued worker said even though he was stationed approximately 1500 metres from the blast site, he was knocked down by the strong airflow caused by the explosion.

The priority task was to resume ventilation which had been greatly damaged in the explosion, and to guarantee the rescuers' safety, deputy head of the State Production Safety Bureau, Zhao Tiechui Zhao said.