CHANGCHUN - The owner of a coal mine has been placed in police custody after being suspected of causing a gas explosion that left 11 dead in the northeastern province of Jilin, local authorities said.

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The explosion ripped through the Tonggou coal mine in Baishan city at around 8:40 am on Thursday, killing 11 miners and leaving six people injured and two others missing.

Rescuers are still trying to reach two miners trapped underground, but efforts have been stymied due to constant flooding in the coal mine, according to a statement from the local government of Baishan city.

The preliminary investigation showed that the privately-owned mine had been ordered to halt production for safety overhauls. The accident happened after the owner allegedly sidestepped inspections and restarted production.

All coal mines in Baishan have been ordered to halt production to assure that operational irregularities have been resolved.