On Monday local authorities confirmed there were an additional four deaths in the Meishan coal mine, according to Xinhua.

Its television news arm, CNC World, reported that the authorities had discovered there were four more deaths when they found inconsistencies in the lists of miners provided by the mine owner.

The mine owner has since been taken into police custody.

After the accident, one of the miners reportedly died on the way to hospital and another died in hospital.

Three miners were injured but survived while another six were rescued out of the mine.