At least 10 people have died and six are missing after a coal mine accident in the city of Pingdingshan, in central China, the local emergency management agency said on Saturday, vowing to continue rescue operations and launch city-wide safety checks, Paralel.Az reports citing Reuters.

A safety inspection campaign in coal-rich Pingdingshan, in Henan province, could disrupt coal production there and strain coal supplies.

Pingdingshan's emergency management bureau said in a statement that the accident occurred around 2:55 p.m. on Friday due to a coal and gas outburst at a mine owned by China's Pingdingshan Tianan Coal Mining.

The official Xinhua news agency said a total of 425 people were working underground when the accident took place.

As of 3 p.m. on Saturday, 10 people had been confirmed dead, and six were missing.

The agency said it will make concrete plans to rescue the missing and investigate the cause of the accident.