The accident occurred at the Jiazhuang Coal Mine in Hebei province.
According to a preliminary investigation, seven miners were working underground when the mine's air compressor caught fire
Two of the miners managed to escape, while the five others were suffocated to death, state news agency Xinhua reported quoting local authorities.
The mine was closed in October 2008 and was operating with an expired license, the report said.
Su Fengshan, the mine's manager, has been taken into police custody.