Rescue workers at the explosion site of a gold mine in Qixia City, east China's Shandong Province, have drilled a hole from the surface to the tunnel where 22 trapped workers are located, and received signs of life, local authorities said on Sunday.

Rescuers will quickly run cannulas, deliver nutrient solutions and lower life detectors and telephone lines to further identify the trapped people, the authorities added.

The explosion happened at 2 p.m. on January 10 at a gold mine in Xicheng Township of Qixia City, but it was not reported to the local emergency department until the night of January 11.

Relevant people from the company have been put under police oversight for failing to notify the authorities in time, Li Bo, vice mayor of Yantai, which administers Qixia, told a press conference on January 13.