Beijing: At least 17 miners remain trapped in a coal mine in China after a gas blast, media reported Sunday.

The blast occurred at 8.43 p.m. Saturday when 20 people were working inside the mine in Xinjiang province. Three of them have been rescued.

Rescuers have started pouring nitrogen into the mine to dilute the gas concentration Sunday, Xinhua reported.

This process needs to be continued for a day before one enters the pit, the rescuers said.