Police say one man has been killed and six other people injured in an accident during regular maintenance work on a mountain cable car line in central Switzerland.

The Engelberg-Truebsee cable car was closed to visitors at the time of Wednesday's accident, and police in Obwalden canton (state) say no tourists were involved. Workers were hit by two cables after the hoisting cable, which had been hanging loosely, tensed up.

An employee of the Titlis cable car company died of his injuries at the scene. Another three workers were seriously injured and were taken to hospitals by helicopter, while three people were slightly injured and were treated at the scene.

There was no immediate word on the cause of the accident.