Seven people were killed when a World War II bomb exploded in western Burma, officials said Thursday.

"They were killed accidentally in the blast while trying to remove a bomb that appeared at the sea shore near their village. They seemed to have no idea what it was," said a government official who asked not to be named.

The accident took place Wednesday near the port town of Sittwe -- 314 miles (505km) northwest of the capital city of Rangoon. The victims were all men.

"We think the old bomb was left over from World War II. We have no idea how many of them are left buried around the country," a second official said.

Fatal accidents involving old bombs are rare in Burma, which saw fierce fighting during World War II, when it was occupied by Japan before returning to British rule until its independence in 1948.