A cave-in killed five workers in a coal mine in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region early Tuesday, local government authorities reported.

The accident happened at about 6 a.m. in Laojunmiao Colliery in Mulei County of Xinjiang, trapping eight miners.

The workers were quickly evacuated but five died en route to a hospital of gas poisoning. The other three remained hospitalized.

Local government said the colliery was ordered to suspend production for safety improvement on June 11.

According to mine managers, the workers were doing maintenance on the shaft and clearing slag when the mine suddenly collapsed.

The cause of the accident is still being investigated.

(Xinhua News Agency June 17, 2008)