Three miners died and two were injured in a methane blast in a black coal mine in eastern Czech Republic, rescuers and the OKD mining company said Friday.

The dead miners were 32, 38 and 39 years old, said Czech media. The exact cause of the blast late Thursday is under investigation.

Emergency services spokesman Lukas Humpl told AFP a 37-year-old miner had suffered burns on more than half of his body, including the head.

He was taken to a local hospital by helicopter, while the other injured miner had less serious injuries.

The blast occurred in the Darkov mine near the city of Karvina, some 300 kilometres (190 miles) east of the Czech capital Prague, at 2130 GMT on Thursday.