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At least 28 people have been killed in a coal mine accident in northern China, the country's state-run media say; Kazinform refers to BBC News.

Xinhua news agency cited local government officials as saying the accident happened in the city of Hancheng, in Shaanxi province.

Reports say the miners died after an electrical cable caught fire inside a coal shaft at the Xiaonangou mine on Saturday evening.

Rescuers retrieved five bodies on Sunday morning, Xinhua said.

An investigation is currently under way.

China's vast coal mining industry is notoriously accident-prone.

Most accidents are blamed on failures to follow safety rules, including a lack of required ventilation or fire control equipment.

According to official figures, 2,631 coal miners died in 1,616 mine accidents in China in 2009, down 18% from the previous year.

But independent labour groups say the figure could be much higher, as accidents are covered up to prevent mine closures.