Twenty-seven workers were trapped following a fire in a coal mine in central China on Tuesday afternoon, state media reported, citing a local official.

The accident occurred at the Lisheng mine in the city of Xiangtan in Hunan province, the official told Xinhua news agency, adding that rescuers were searching for the miners.

The government and provincial work safety board have launched an investigation into the incident, Xinhua said.

China's coal mines are among the most dangerous in the world, with safety often ignored in the quest for profits and a drive to meet surging demand for coal, the source of about 70 percent of the country's energy.