Xinhua said the miners have been trapped on a work platform in the Dahuang number 2 coal mine since Thursday, when a gas explosion killed at least five.

Only one of the 23 miners was able to escape the blast.

Though high concentrations of carbon monoxide have impeded rescue work and ventilation, fire-fighting efforts have since improved access to the shaft.

Early Friday, rescuers were able to lift out the bodies of the five victims.

Official Chinese press cited local safety authorities who said work at the mine was suspended for safety reasons and operations at the time of the explosion were illegal.

The report claimed three relevant managers had been detained as well as the mine owner who “ran away” after the explosion prompting a police search.

Since last month Xinhua has confirmed other coal mine accidents including a derailed tramcar killing 15 and an underground flood trapping three in the troubled Hunan province.

Earlier this month, the Dublin-based site Research and Markets released GlobalData’ report Chinese Coal Mines – Consolidation Leading to Closures and Reduction in Mine Accidents, which counted some 9000 closures of small coal mines nationwide since the initiative began in 2006.