* An explosion last week killed 21 miners in other mine

* Govt to conduct mining safety review after blasts

BOGOTA, Feb 1 (Reuters) - A methane gas explosion at a small, central Colombian coal mine on Tuesday killed five workers, officials said, the latest deadly mining blast to highlight the need for strong workplace safety measures.

The explosion comes less than a week after another accident at a coal mine in northeast Colombia killed 21 miners and prompted the government to call for a mine safety review. [ID:nN26228857] [ID:nN27268211]

"According to preliminary reports, there was an explosion at (La Escondida mine), apparently due to methane gas, leaving up until now five people dead," mining regulator Ingeominas said in a statement.

It said that the mine -- located in Sutatausa municipality in Cundinamarca province, north of Colombia's centrally located capital -- was in the process of becoming legal, and was allowed to operate under legalization procedures.

Colombia is the world's No. 5 coal exporter, with an industry dominated by major players with open-pit mines. But some smaller mines are dug underground where methane gas buildups can cause accidents.

Despite the recent run of accidents, conditions for workers in Latin America's mines have improved markedly in recent decades from the nightmarish conditions of past centuries after Spanish conquistadors began a hunt for gold.

The modern-day industry has helped fuel an economic boom in some countries, including Colombia, where mining is one of the main generators of foreign exchange. (Reporting by Jack Kimball; Editing by Jackie Frank)