SHENYANG - Two people have been confirmed dead and 11 remain missing three days after a fire broke out underground at an illegal mine in northeast China's Liaoning Province.

At around 10 a.m. on Thursday, rescuers found the bodies of two victims in the shaft, according to the local rescue headquarters.

The mine in Xihu District, Benxi City caught fire around 3 a.m. on Monday, trapping 13 miners about 500 meters underground.

Hao Chijun, head of the city's work safety bureau, said the colliery was shut down in 2004, but its owner secretly continued operations by building a coal washing plant and hiding the shaft within it.

A Xinhua reporter saw that the entrance of the shaft, about a meter high and two meters wide, was concealed behind a row of cabinets in the bathroom of the plant.

Hao said a normal mine shaft should have at least two openings, one for miners and the other for coal, which can also ensure ventilation, but the illegal mine only had one.

An initial investigation showed the fire was caused by a compressor about 400 meters underground in the shaft. The government has worked to eliminate this type of machine as they easily catch fire.

The owner, Jiang Shuhua, delayed reporting the fire, so rescuers arrived at least eight hours later than they should have. Jiang has been controlled by the police.