It is the second mine disaster in the area in two months
A further two miners are reportedly still unaccounted for.
Some 178 mine workers were rescued alive after the blast, an official told the AFP news agency.
The mine is near Novokuznetsk town, in Siberia's Kemerovo region. A methane blast at the nearby Ulyanovskaya mine killed more than 100 workers in March.
Russia's coal mines frequently suffer accidents, blamed on ageing technology, poor safety standards and a shortfall in investment following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Worried relatives of the workers had gathered at the mine's gates amid heavy rain.
A miner who gave his name as Andrei was quoted by the AFP news agency as saying: "I was in the mine at the time of the blast.
"I felt the shock and I immediately went for the exit."
Map highlighting the Kemerovo Oblast. 


At least 38 miners are dead after methane exploded in an underground coal mine in Russia. 180 people made it out of the mine, and at least 7 of those were seriously injured. At least 217 miners were inside when the explosion occurred.

"Up to 45 people could have been at the epicenter of the blast. One hundred and eighty people have been brought out. Of these, five have life-threatening injuries. The fate of the other trapped miners is unknown. According to the (mining) company’s information, there were 194 workers and 23 engineering inspectors underground when the mine exploded," said a spokesman for Russia's Emergency Ministry.

The explosion occurred at the Yubileynaya (Jubilee) Mine located in Novokuznetsk, Russia in the Kemerovo Oblast at approximately 7:40 a.m. local time on Thursday 11:40 p.m. eastern time on Wednesday. Yuzhkuzbassugol currently owns the mining facility.

The mine has already received several violations, and according to Russia's industrial safety agency the mine would likely lose its license to operate. "Such a decision could be taken after an inquiry into all the circumstances of the accident at the Yubileinaya mine. Particularly since we have already found violations at Yuzhkuzbassugol mines."