Ranchi, Nov 11 (IANS): The body of one of four miners trapped Monday following a roof collapse in a Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) mine in Jharkhand's Dhanbad district was recovered while the remaining three were also feared dead, an official said.

At least 171 other miners were rescued. The men were at work in the BCCL mine in Dhanbad, when the incident occurred.

"One body has been recovered. Three others trapped are feared dead. The rescue team is trying to reach their bodies," R.R. Prasad, chief of the company's corporate communications department, told IANS over phone.

Police sources said a big stone had fallen on the three trapped miners, and their chances of survival were bleak.

Four miners were trapped when a mine of the Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) in Jharkhand's Dhanbad district caved in Monday. At least 171 miners were rescued from the site.

A BCCL official said the roof collapsed at the Basantimata colliery, situated at Nirsa in Dhanbad district, around 240 km from Ranchi. At least 175 miners were at work inside, excavating coal.