BEIJING - Eight officials have been investigated following a fatal road accident and tunnel blast in March in North China's Shanxi province, according to the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

Five officials, including Du Taoyi, former deputy head of Jincheng transport administration bureau, as well as traffic police officers and an official with Jincheng highway monitoring center, were investigated for dereliction of duty.

Yue Jintao and Xiao Wei, two officials with the transport administration bureau of Jiaozuo city, Henan province were investigated for abuses of power.

Su Baogang, former general manager of a truck testing company in Henan, allegedly provided false evidence.

Two tankers loaded with methanol collided inside a tunnel linking Jincheng city in Shanxi and Jiyuan city in Henan, causing a blast and fire. Authorities said 31 people were killed and another 12 seriously injured. Nine bodies have not been recovered.