Two workers die in underground mine explosion in Australia

A man and a woman died on Tuesday in an explosion at an underground mine in Australia, New South Wales Police said.

The man died at the scene after the explosion at Endeavor Mine in Cobar, about 600 kilometres north-west of Sydney in Outback New South Wales, early on Tuesday.

Two women were brought to the surface. One later died, while the other was being treated in hospital for shock and hearing damage, NSW Police said.

Cobar Mayor Jarrod Marsden confirmed that the two casualties and the injured woman were workers at the mine, where silver and lead are extracted.

"The community of Cobar is mourning," Marsden said in a statement. "The Council and staff as members of the community are all impacted in some way and as Mayor, I express my condolences to the families and loved ones of those miners killed."

Police said they were investigating and preparing a report for the coroner.