The death toll from a gas explosion at a coal mine in central China has risen to 42, with 37 workers still trapped underground, state media reported Wednesday, citing local officials. The deadly blast, the latest to rock the notoriously dangerous coal mining industry here, took place early Tuesday in a small mine in Pingdingshan city in Henan province, officials said.

Two city officials were sacked and all of the city's 157 mines temporarily shut down following the accident, which the official Xinhua news agency said was believed to have been the result of illegal mining.

China's coal mines are among the most dangerous in the world, with safety standards often ignored in the quest for profits and the drive to meet surging demand for coal -- the source of about 70 percent of China's energy.

Official figures show that more than 3,200 workers died in collieries last year, but independent labour groups say the actual figure could be much higher, as many accidents are covered up in order to avoid costly mine shutdowns.

Elsewhere in Henan, Xinhua reported that 13 people were trapped Wednesday in a gold mine in the city of Lingbao after a fire broke out.