LA PAZ, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Five people were killed and two others injured after a mine collapsed in the Bolivian province of Larecaja, the western department of La Paz, police said Thursday.

The collapse occurred on Wednesday night at the mine about 149 kilometers from the city of La Paz, said the local police commander, Colonel Gunther Agudo.

Agudo said a detailed report regarding the event would be provided soon.

It is essential to strengthen protection measures to prevent these events from continuing to occur, said the vice minister of mining policy, Marcelo Ballesteros, in an interview. ■