Chinese newsagency Xinhua reports 11 were trapped after a fire broke out on Saturday morning in a coal mine in northeast China’s Heilongjian province.

The accident, which occurred at the Longshan coal mine in Youyi County of Shuangyashan city had previously been reported to have happened on Sunday. However, Xinhua quotes rescue headquarters staff as saying that was due to the mine owner’s attempt to cover up the incident.

The government said China’s coal management bureau had ordered the mine to suspend production on September 3 after its licence had expired a day earlier.

Illegal production is being blamed for the accident.

The underground fire was quenched on Sunday night.

Also on Saturday, a coal mine in Jidong County – also in Heilongjian province – was flooded, resulting in six miners being trapped.

Another five miners were trapped after a ceiling collapse at a coal mine in China’s Shandong province on Sunday.

That accident occurred at about 9.50am at a colliery of the Dongtai Mining Company in Zibo city.

Rescue operations are underway at all three mines.