At least eight miners were killed and more than a dozen injured following an explosion at a coal mine in southern Serbia, state media reported Friday.

The explosion occurred at around 6 a.m. local time (4 a.m. GMT), causing the mine to collapse near the town of Aleksinac, according to Radio Television of Serbia (RTS).

"We have so far hospitalized 18 injured miners. Three of them are in serious condition," said Goran Vidic, the director of the Aleksinac hospital.

Two miners were also being treated in the nearby city of Nis, RTS reported.

At the time of the accident, at least 49 miners were believed to have been working in the mine. First responders dispatched to the scene managed to rescue about a dozen people, however, several remained trapped, according to RTS.

Goran Vidic, head of the local hospital, was quoted as saying all nonessential surgery had been canceled and some patients had been discharged to make room for casualties.

"The situation here is difficult, relatives are here, people are upset," Vidic said.

The Aleksinac region is an important mining basin in Serbia, where the energy sector remains heavily reliant on coal for power. The area has also been the scene of several similar tragedies in the past.

In November 1989, 91 miners were killed following a fire caused by human error.