Four workers were killed and four injured after an oil tank explosion in a chemical company in north China's Shanxi Province, a local work safety source said on Monday.

The blast occurred around 2 p.m. Monday when workers were dismantling ageing oil tanks that were no longer in service in Jin'an Technology and Trade Co., Ltd in Xinghualing District in the provincial capital of Taiyuan, the Taiyuan Work Safety Administration said.

Yang Zhiling, director of the administration, said the previously released figures of three deaths and three injured were miscalculations.

He added that the four injured were no longer in a critical condition. They are receiving treatment in two hospitals in Taiyuan.

A preliminary investigation showed "improper actions" of the workers were blamed for the accident, the official said.

Rescuers are still examining the scene to prevent possible further blasts. The company was not operating when the blast happened.

(Xinhua News Agency January 8, 2008)