Seven people were confirmed dead after a mining car accident Thursday afternoon at a colliery in east China's Jiangxi Province, local government said Friday.

The accident occurred at around 6:00 p.m. Thursday when seven miners illegally entered a shaft in a mining car at the Chang'an Coal Mine in Tiandun Town in Shangrao county. The mining car freewheeled with its locking mechanism out of action, killing the seven onboard immediately, the county government said.

All the deceased were villagers from Tiandun town.

Investigations into the accident are under way.

(Xinhua News Agency September 11, 2009)