The death toll from Monday's residential building blast in north China's Shanxi Province has risen to four after rescuers found another body in debris on Thursday.

The dead is a 32-year-old women, the daughter of the old woman who was found dead on Monday, said Bai Yulong, deputy director of the information office of Datong City, where the blast happened.

The other two dead are a couple in their twenties, according to Bai. In addition, the accident also injured six others.

"Searching operation has almost come to the end and there may be no more trapped in the rubbles," he said.

Two of the injured were discharged from hospital on Monday afternoon while the other four are still receiving treatment, said Bai.

The cause of the blast is being investigated, according to Bai.

The blast occurred at 8:57 AM Monday at the No. 15 Building of Longgangyuan Community in Datong City. All the houses in the western section of the six-floor building collapsed. Doors and windows of the neighboring houses were also damaged to varying degrees.

All the 239 residents affected have been arranged to live in three hotels nearby and compensation for their loss is under negotiation, said Bai.

(Xinhua News Agency January 19, 2007)