The death toll from a quarry explosion on Saturday in southwest China's Guizhou Province has risen to eight as the last missing miner was found dead, the provincial government said Sunday.

Rescue operation was called off after the body of the last missing miner was retrieved at about 5 p.m. Sunday, according to the publicity department of Zhenfeng County, where the accident took place.

The explosion also left four others slightly injured.

A preliminary investigation showed hails and lightning strikes triggered off some explosives at the sand quarry under construction at about 4:50 p.m. Saturday when 12 miners were working, the county government said in a report, citing unnamed witnesses.

The explosives were stored for use in later construction. The project has legal permits.

Officials of the provincial work safety watchdog were still investigating the cause of the accident.

(Xinhua News Agency March 29, 2009)