Liaoning mine explosion: rescue attempts continue

A policeman is on duty outside a temporary command center at the Dahuang'er Coal Mine in Liaoyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, March 23, 2012. A gas explosion ripped through the coal mine Thursday, killing at least five people and trapping 17 others. (Xinhua/Jiang Bing)

LIAOYANG, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Rescuers have been continuing efforts to locate 17 miners trapped after a gas explosion hit the Liaoning province mine they were working in at noon on Thursday.

The gas explosion ripped through the Dahuang No. 2 Coal Mine in Liaoyang city, killing at least five people and trapping 17 others.

A total of 23 miners were working underground at the time of the tragedy. One of them has managed to escape.

Rescuers told Xinhua that concentrations of gas and carbon monoxide were still high, hindering rescue work.

The police have been looking for the owner of the coal mine, who ran away after the explosion.

Local safety authorities said that the mine's operations were supposed to be suspended pending a safety-check, but that the owner had restarted operations illegally.