An accidental blast took place Tuesday in southwest China's Sichuan Province, leaving four dead and four others injured.

Local government official said eight miners worked down in a colliery, belonging to Zhongshan Mining Industry Corporation, at Dazhu County after a blasting operation was performed around 0 o'clock AM at one working surface.

Another blast accidentally happened ten minutes later, killing four miners on the site and injuring four others, leaving one in critical condition.

About 90 miners under the colliery were immediately evacuated after the accident.

An investigation into the accident is underway.

Separately on Tuesday, four people died and two others were missing in a coal mine blast Tuesday in northeast China's Liaoning Province, sources with the provincial department on the supervision of coal mine safety said Wednesday.

The accident occurred at 4:15 AM Tuesday in Zhongxing Coal Mine in Fuxin City when eight miners were working underground. Four people were killed at the scene, two were injured and two others were missing.

The injured have been hospitalized and the rescue team is searching for the missing. An investigation is underway.

(Xinhua News Agency July 28, 2004)