A coal mine fire has trapped 12 workers underground in east China's Jiangxi Province, local authorities said Saturday.

The accident took place at about 4:00 PM Friday at the Miaoshang Coal Mine in Yushui District, in Xinyu City, the district government said in a statement.

Two emrergency teams are struggling to the rescue the trapped miners, the statement said.

"An initial investigation indicates the fire was caused by short circuit of underground cables," it said.

It is not immeditely known whether the fire has been quenched.

The coal mine reports an annual output capacity of 60,000 tonnes.

(Xinhua News Agency January 9, 2010)