GUJIAO, Shanxi province: Three senior officials of a Shanxi coal mine were sacked yesterday after a gas blast on Sunday killed at least 74 workers.

The Tunlan Coal Mine's manager, chief safety officer and chief engineer have been removed from their posts, Xinhua reported yesterday without revealing details.

The explosion occurred at 2:17 am while 436 miners were at work underground in Gujiao, 60 km west of Taiyuan, the provincial capital.