A gas explosion in a coal mine in northwest China's Shaanxi Province has killed seven miners and injured three others, the local mine safety watchdog said Tuesday.

The gas explosion occurred in Majiahe Coal Mine in Weinan City of Shaanxi at 7:30 PM Monday. Twenty-two miners were working underground, said Gao Xinghong, director of the Colliery Safety Supervision Bureau of Weinan City.

Twelve miners managed to get out of the mine. The injured are in stable condition in hospital.

The privately-owned colliery has a designed annual production capacity of 60,000 tons.

(Xinhuan News Agency December 21, 2005)