MOSCOW, 21 (RIA Novosti) - At least 42 people have died and 66 remain trapped following a major gas explosion in a coal mine in northwest China's Heilongjiang province, state media said.

Xinhua news agency said that 47 of the miners who escaped the accident in the early hours of Saturday are suffering from burns, fractures and carbon monoxide poisoning.

The China Daily earlier quoted the mine's owner, Heilongjiang Longmei Mining Holding Group, as saying 415 miners managed to escape the mine after the explosion, which occurred at 02:30 local time after a gas buildup.

The part of the mine where the workers are trapped is about 500 meters underground.

Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang has arrived at the mine, located near the border with Russia, and has met with injured miners.