Qinyuan: The death toll from a massive gas explosion at a coal mine in northern China’s Shanxi province jumped sharply to at least 82 on Saturday, according to reports from state media outlets. The blast, which occurred late Friday evening at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county, has become one of the deadliest industrial accidents reported in the country over the past decade.
A total of 247 workers were on duty underground when the explosion ripped through the facility, which is operated by the Shanxi Tongzhou Group in Changzhi city. The death toll rose rapidly overnight from an initial count of eight as rescue teams penetrated deeper into the shafts. Local emergency management authorities confirmed that more than 200 miners were successfully brought to the surface, but at least nine workers still remain missing deep within the damaged structure.
Chinese President Xi Jinping issued urgent instructions for provincial authorities to spare no effort in treating the injured and conducting continuous search and rescue operations. President Xi ordered a thorough investigation into the exact cause of the disaster and demanded strict accountability in accordance with the law for those responsible. Chinese Premier Li Qiang echoed these instructions, demanding a swift, transparent release of information alongside a rigorous safety review of the region’s mining sector.
The local rescue headquarters stated that corporate executives and individuals responsible for the mining company have already been detained and placed under administrative control by law enforcement. While more stringent safety regulations and automated infrastructure have significantly reduced coal mine fatalities across China since the early 2000s, this latest tragedy underscores the persistent hazards facing the workforce in Shanxi, the nation’s premier coal-producing hub.
