THE death toll from a coal mine explosion in Heilongjiang Province could rise as rescuers began working to retrieve bodies of deceased miners still buried underground, China National Radio reported yesterday.

    Earlier reports said at least nine people in the mine in Jixi City were killed in a gas explosion April 26. An initial cover-up attempt has led to several officials being dismissed. The mine owner and managers were being investigated by police.

    Han Shuguo, deputy head of Didao District in the city of Jixi, was removed from his position, Fang Dongchu, a spokesman for the Jixi Municipal Government, said.

    Three other officials, including the director of the district safety supervision and coal mine administration bureau Liu Chonghe, were also dismissed, Fang said.

    The mine owner admitted that nine miners had been killed in the gas explosion, Fang said, noting that further investigation was needed to determine the cause.

    The cover-up was exposed when a joint provincial investigation team arrived in Jixi on Saturday to address rumors of a coal mine blast killing about 10 people. <2001>(Xinhua)