Fresh flooding might have hit the coal mine in Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, where rescuers have been attempting pump out water and save trapped miners since it first flooded Sunday.

According to the rescue team, the water level had risen to three meters by noon Friday in the tunnel that had been pumped out.

In addition, rescuers felt heat on the tunnel wall, indicating fire might have occurred inside as well.

Rescuers had expected to pump out water and lower the gas concentration by Friday. The concentration of gas exceeded 9 percent in the mine on Thursday.

Fourteen workers were in the Xishan Coal Mine when the flooding occurred at about 7:10 a.m. Sunday. Seven escaped.

No sign of life of the seven trapped miners had been received in the past five days.

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