BUCHAREST, Jan. 14 (Xinhuanet) -- Seven miners were killed and five more injured in a mine gas explosion Saturday in southwest Romania, the official news agency Rompres reported.

The mother of one of the seven miners killed in a blast at a mine in western Romania cries at the entrance of the mine in Anina Jan. 14. (Xinhua/Reuters)

    There were 200 miners working in the mine as the explosion occurred at around 5:30 a.m. (0330 GMT) in the country's town of Anina and the remaining workers have been safely evacuated, the agency said.

    At more than 1,000 meters below the surface, the Anina coal, employing 544 miners, is one of the deepest mines in Europe. With a daily output of 1,000 tons of coal, the mine is the biggest in west Romania.

    An official of the mine told the Romanian television that the accumulation of gas caused the explosion.

    An investigation into the explosion has been under way and Romanian Economy Minister Codrut Seres was heading to the site. Enditem