A  gas blast in a coal mine in China has led to five deaths, Chinese media reported.

The accident occurred in East China’s Anhui province yesterday in the privately-owned Wunan Coal mine. An investigation showed six people were working underground at the time of the accident and one is still missing.

Reports claim the municipal Government has ordered an overall production suspension at local coal mines. Further investigation into the cause of the accident is still underway.

Earlier this year 19 miners were killed in a gas explosion in a coal mine in China, which trapped around 50 miners underground.