Five people have been killed in a coal mine blast in central China's Hunan Province on Wednesday, the country’s official news agency reported.

The colliery gas explosion happened at about 3.10 a.m. local time [1910GMT] at the coal pit of a private company in Shaodong County, Xinhua news agency said in a report.

An investigation has been launched to ascertain the cause of the accident.

China is world’s number one coal producer.