Bogota/Mexico City  - At least nine miners died and one was injured in an underground explosion Thursday in Amaga in the north- western Colombian province of Antioquia.

Authorities said the accident happened in El Bloque, in the Nechi mining region between the towns of Amaga and Fredonia.

The blast was apparently due to an accumulation of gas in the mine, about 1 kilometre below the surface. The resulting collapse trapped the victims, local authorities in Amaga said. (dpa)