Two people have been killed in an underground explosion at a mine in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW), the first such incident of its kind since 2015, BBC reported.

Emergency services were called to the Endeavor mine at Cobar, about 700km (435 miles) northwest of Sydney, in the early hours of Tuesday after reports two people had been critically injured.

Police said a man, in his 60s, was confirmed dead at the scene and two women, both in their 20s, were brought to the surface, but one later died. The second woman was airlifted to hospital for minor injuries and shock, according to BBC.