Rescuers rush to a coal mine in Dengfeng, Henan Province where a deadly gas outburst occurred at around 1:10 a.m. on September 21, 2008. [Photo: Xinhua]

A gas outburst at a coal mine in central China's Henan Province early on Sunday has killed 37 people, rescue official have confirmed.

The accident happened at about 1:10 a.m. at Xinfeng No. 2 Coal Mine, southwest of Dengfeng City, when 108 workers were underground.

The spokesman said 64 escaped and seven injured, who were taken out of the pit safely, were being treated in hospital.

The mine, belonging to Guangxian Industrial and Trade Co., Ltd., was undergoing technical renovation at the time.

The provincial government issued a circular on Sept. 15, requiring all the coal mines undergoing technical renovation to suspend operations. But the Xinfeng No.2 Coal Mine continued production at night.

Acting governor of Henan Guo Gengmao asked rescuers to lower gas density to prevent secondary disasters. The city authorities ordered all coal mines that were under technical renovation to suspend operations.

The legal representative of the company has been detained. Work safety authorities are investigating the cause of the accident.

Since July, 62 people have been reported dead in four coal mine accidents in Henan.

In the northeastern Heilongjiang Province, 19 miners are dead and 12 are missing after a fire early on Saturday at Fuhua Coal Mine in Hegang City. Rescue work is continuing.