"The rescue operation has been completed," he said.
According to the ministry's data, 23 miners were injured.
At the moment of the explosion at 5:45 a.m., Moscow time, there were 103 men in the mine, 67 of them were brought to the surface, not counting the injured, the spokesman said.
The accident was caused by a rock collapse, Valery Korchagin, the head of the press service of the civil defense and emergencies directorate of the Kemerovo Region told RIA Novosti.
"This conclusion can be drawn judging by the character of the miners' injuries: scratches, bruises and concussion of the brain - no burns," he said.
At the same time Valery Korchagin noted that so far it was difficult to determine the precise cause of the tragedy. "Today, we can express only our own suppositions. All the circumstances of the accident will be investigated by a special commission," the press service head said.
As was reported earlier, methane could have exploded in the mine.
