All eight trapped rescuers who attempted to put out an underground fire at a coal mine in southwest China's Guizhou Province have died, local authorities said.

Their bodies have been found at the Beile Coal Mine belonging to the Guizhou Jinyuannengfa Company in the county of Nayong, Bijie Prefecture, a spokesman for the provincial administration of coal mine safety supervision said. A gas blast took place yesterday at the coal mine when 12 rescuers were trying to put out an underground fire that happened on Monday, the spokesman said.