Rescuers are attempting to locate at least three people, who have been unaccounted for since a gas outburst at a mine in Guizhou Province on Tuesday night claimed up to 10 casualties.

About five people were also injured in the accident, which occurred at a coal mine in Pu'an County at 7:50p.m. Local authorities have announced that 56 people successfully climbed out of the coal mine after the explosion.

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It is unclear what triggered the gas outburst.

Every year, thousands of people lose their lives in mining accidents in China. The country is currently the world's largest consumer of coal. Authorities have blamed illegal mining operations with shoddy safety standards for the high rate of mining accidents in the country. The government is taking steps to clamp down on illegal mining and also reduce China's dependence on coal. As part of these efforts, China is set to shut down thousands of mines by the end of the year.

In 2014, the number of casualties from mining-related accidents in the country was less than a thousand for the first time in more than a decade.

Recently, the State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS) announced that coal mine accidents reduced by about 30.6 percent in the first half of the year. SAWS officials also revealed that coal mine accidents that claimed 10 - 30 casualties has declined by more than 80 percent year-over-year.

In one of the deadliest mining accidents this year, about 21 people lost their lives after a coal mine became flooded in Shaanxi Province in April. Initially, more than 200 people were in the mine when it got filled with water from a reservoir. However, many of them managed to escape - leaving only 24 people behind. Rescue workers were able to retrieve about four of the miners alive. However, one of them passed on in the hospital.

TagsCoal Mine Accidents China, Coal Mine Gas Outburst Guizhou, China Coal Mine Accident 2015