Sundargarh Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Arora said bodies of 10 persons have so far been extricated from the site of the mishap yesterday at Kulda in the Basundhara-Garjanbahal coal mine area of MCL.
A spokesman of MCL, however, maintained that as many as 14 persons had been killed in the mishap that took place when a heap of coal dump caved in, burying people from nearby villages who went there to collect coal.
Five persons, who were rescued from the heap with injuries, are undergoing treatment at a hospital.
The MCL spokesman said some villagers, who went to the crash site in search of coal, were buried when a portion of the coal dump suddenly collapsed, probably due to heavy rains that lashed the area on Friday.
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Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has ordered a probe into the incident by the local Revenue Divisional Commissioner.
Meanwhile, leaders of different political parties visited the spot. BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan said the company should have adopted proper safety measures and the Director General of Mining Safety ought to have ensured effective monitoring.
Senior Congress leader Kishore Patel and Odisha Commerce and Transport Minister Subrat Tarai blamed the MCL for the mishap.
However, the MCL spokesman said many residents of the area often visit the place to scour coal in the dump yard though entry of people to this area, located outside the mining zone, was illegal and there were notice boards warning about it.