At least four persons have been killed after a gas explosion at a coal mine in central China’s Hunan Province, officials said.

The explosion at about 3 pm (local time) on Sunday in Shaodong County coal mine instantly trapped five miners. Three persons – two confirmed dead and one with serious injuries -were hoisted from the mine by evening, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The remaining two victims were found dead, local authorities said.