BEIJING, Sept. 9  -- Prosecutors are investigating eight officials in central China's Henan Province over their role in the cover-up of a deadly mine accident that has only recently come to light, four years after the incident.

The probe into the Lushan County officials began after tip-offs earlier this year that a fire in a mine owned by the Rongningfeng Company killed 24 people and caused huge economic losses on Dec. 22, 2009, said the Supreme People's Procuratorate on Tuesday.

The officials are suspected of dereliction of duty and other misconduct.