Repeated gas explosions and the expanding fire area at a colliery in Dongshan District of this capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have prevented rescue workers from entering the site of the accident.

The mine shaft was closed Saturday to avoid possible fresh explosions, as the gas content in the colliery has reached 5 percent, said an official from the Urumqi city government who is in charge of organizing and leading the rescue operations.

Fire broke out in Xinming Colliery around 3 p.m. last Thursday, killing nine miners and injuring one.

So far, the bodies of four miners have been recovered.

The cause of the fire disaster is still under investigation.

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