WUHAN, May 29 (Xinhuanet) -- A coal mine blast took place Sunday morning in the county of Yuan'an, central China's Hubei Province, leaving three dead and eight others injured.

    The local government said the gas blast happened at 7:15 a.m. at the Hongjiaya Coal Mine of Maopingchang Township. Eleven out of22 miners working underground managed to escape after the blast.

    All the eight wounded are in stable condition, according to thelocal hospital source.

    The local government has founded a working team to investigate the cause.

    Constructed in 2000, the Hongjiaya Coal Mine has a yearly production capacity of 30,000 tons. Enditem