The death toll from a coal mine blast here was finalized at 34 as rescuers retrieved the last six bodies Wednesday.

The tragedy was China's deadliest coal mine accident so far this year.

Rescuers found one body at 4 a.m. and another two at 7 a.m. under the main shaft of the Anxin Coal Mining Co. Ltd.'s mine in Xiaoyi City. The remaining three were recovered by 11 a.m.

The bodies were sent to mortuaries for the victims' families to claim.

An explosion occurred in the mine at about 11 a.m. Friday when 58 miners were working underground, twice the permitted number. Fifteen managed to escape and another nine were rescued.

Illegal homemade explosives, which were concealed in the colliery tunnel, ignited on their own and triggered the blast, said Shanxi Vice Governor Zhang Jianmin on Tuesday.

Zhao Tiechui, the State Administration of Coal Mine Safety's director, said initial investigations showed Anxin had many problems. These ranged from the use of explosives unsuitable for mining to excessive production. The company also illegally mined unapproved areas and had poor ventilation facilities.

Police detained four people: the mine's chief and legal representative Tian Yun, a deputy chief and two workers in charge of blasting operations.

(Xinhua News Agency June 18, 2008)