A coal and gas outburst left six miners dead in southwest China's Yunnan Province on Monday, local authorities said.

The accident happened at about 3:30 p.m. at the Xiaowuqie Coal Mine in the Zhaxi Township of Weixin County, a county government spokesman said, providing no further details.

It was not immediately known how many people were working in the shaft when the accident took place.

Outburst is a phenomenon characterized by ejection of gas and coal from the solid face into the mine, where the gas is a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide.

Investigation into the accident is underway.

(Xinhua News Agency September 30, 2008)