Photo: Sina Weibo

At least five people were injured and three others severely injured in a roof fall accident in a non-coal mine in Nanjiang county, Southwest China's Sichuan Province, on Sunday morning, according to local work safety authorities.

The accident took place at around 9:57 am, said the WeChat account of the Department of Emergency Management of Sichuan Province.

Preliminary investigations showed that 25 miners entered the mine and 17 managed to get out of the mine after the accident. So far, at least five people have died and another three, who were seriously injured, have been rushed to hospital.

After the accident, rescue personnel dispatched by the Department of Emergency Management of Sichuan Province rushed to the site, making an all-out effort to rescue the injured miners.

On-site risk investigations and monitoring have been strengthened to prevent secondary disasters, officials said.

Emergency rescue teams from the province as well as from the cities of Guang'an and Guangyuan have also been dispatched to the scene to assist the rescue.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation.

Global Times