A gas explosion at a coal mine in northern China has killed at least eight people and left 38 workers trapped underground, Chinese state media reported Saturday.

The explosion took place Friday evening at the Liushenyu coal mine in Changzhi city of Shanxi province, according to the state-run Xinhua News Agency.

Around 247 workers were inside the mine when the blast occurred. By early Saturday, rescuers had safely brought 201 miners to the surface.

Authorities are continuing rescue efforts to locate the missing workers. The cause of the explosion is under investigation.

Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered full-scale rescue operations and called for a thorough investigation into the incident. He also stressed that those responsible must be held accountable, Xinhua reported.

Shanxi is China's largest coal-producing province. Home to about 34 million people, the province produced around 1.3 billion tons of coal last year, nearly one-third of the country's total coal output.