Beijing  - At least 35 people died and 44 were missing after underground gas exploded early Tuesday at a coal mine in the central Chinese province of Henan, the government said.

The blast ripped through the Xinhua number four mine in Henan's Pingdinghsan city, as 93 miners were working underground at about 1 am Tuesday (1700 Monday GMT), state broadcaster China Central Television said.

Fourteen workers escaped after the explosion, 35 were confirmed dead, and rescuers were searching for the remaining 44 miners, the broadcaster said.

Other state media reports said the mine was in the process of an overhaul and had resumed operation without permission from local authorities.

China officially reported 3,215 deaths last year at coal mines, but many mine owners fail to report deaths or injuries in an attempt to prevent the suspension of work by authorities.

The accidents are often triggered by outdated equipment and poor safety measures with many occurring at illegal mines. (dpa)