TAIYUAN, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Thirteen miners have been confirmed dead after a gas blast in a coal mine in north China's Shanxi Province, local government sources said on Monday.

    The explosion occurred at 7:10 p.m. on Sunday in the Niheling coal mine in Jingle County, said a spokesman of the Jingle county government.

    An initial investigation showed 13 workers were killed in the accident, the spokesman said. The mine was a licensed one.

    Rescue efforts ended on Monday afternoon. Three mine managers and a work safety supervision official have been detained by the police.

    The cause of the blast is still being investigated.