Authorities in Shenzhen on Wednesday identified the six people killed in an amusement park ride accident on Tuesday in the southern Chinese boomtown neighboring Hong Kong.

The dead, all Chinese nationals, included two men and four women, and they were aged between 24 and 48-years old, according to a statement from the Yantian District government.

Five were residents of Guangdong Province and one was from central China's Hunan Province.

The accident happened at 4:45 p.m. Tuesday after the Space Journey ride malfunctioned at the Overseas Chinese Town East (OCT East) amusement park.

The ride simulates the conditions of a rocket launch with the passengers experiencing doubled gravity. It elevates and spins 11 cabins each carrying four passengers.

At least 10 people were injured in the accident. They are being treated at three hospitals in Shenzhen. Five of them are in a serious condition.

Authorities did not specify the cause of the accident. Nor was there an official explanation of what happened.

Some witnesses said power cut out shortly after the ride began.

"It was pitch dark inside the cabin and I heard a loud bang," said a woman who traveled to the park with about 100 colleagues from an electronics component plant in Shenzhen. "I felt machine oil and dirt spilling on my face. Some were thrown out of the cabin. Everyone cried out for help."

The woman, who refused to be named, said rescuers pulled her out of the cabin. Her legs and palms were injured.

The OCT East amusement park covers an area of nine square kilometers and is operated by OCT Enterprises Co, a state-owned company involved in real estate and hotel development, tourism, and electronics manufacturing.

The park was closed Wednesday as safety checks are conducted.

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