Rescuers are seen at the Anping Coal Mine in Lihua Township, Libo County of Guizhou province on Oct 4, 2011. [Photo: Xinhua]

Rescuers found three more bodies after a gas outburst hit a coal mine Tuesday morning in southwest China's Guizhou Province, bringing the death toll of the accident to 16, authorities said.

The three bodies were found at around 7 pm and two miners were still missing, said a spokesman with the provincial safety supervisory department.

The accident occurred at 7:53 a.m. at the Anping Coal Mine, which is located in the Lihua Township in the county of Libo, said Min Luming, secretary of the county committee of the Communist Party of China.

Min said 28 miners were working in the shaft when the accident happened. Thirteen managed to escape, and among the them, three died later in hospital.

An investigation into the cause of the accident is under way.