A coal mine gas blast left eight people dead and five others missing Monday in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, local authorities said.

The accident took place at the Fufa Coal Mine in Dashu Township of Fengjie County at about 1:20 p.m., when 16 miners were working underground, the Chongqing municipal government announced in a statement.

Three miners were rescued, and two of them were injured, the statement said.

Rescuers are searching for the missing miners, it said.

An investigation into the cause of the blast has been under way.