Coal Mine Gas Explosion in China's Shanxi Province Kills at Least 90
L'essentiel
- A gas explosion at the Liushenyu coalmine in Shanxi province, China, has killed at least 90 workers.
- The incident occurred Friday evening with 247 miners underground.
- Investigations are underway, and company executives have been detained.
Résumé généré par IA
Pourquoi c'est important
A gas explosion at the Liushenyu coalmine in northern China's Shanxi province killed at least 90 workers. The incident occurred Friday evening while 247 workers were underground. Chinese President Xi Jinping called for thorough rescue efforts and an investigation into the accident's cause and accountability.
The death toll from a gas explosion at a coalmine in northern China’s Shanxi province has risen to at least 90, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Saturday.
The gas explosion happened Friday evening at the Liushenyu coalmine in Qinyuan county, while 247 workers were underground, state media agency Xinhua reported. Earlier reports said eight people had been killed, while more than 200 people had been brought safely to the surface.
Footage published by state broadcaster CCTV showed helmeted rescuers carrying stretchers at the site, with ambulances visible in the background.
The mining disaster is one of the deadliest reported in China in the past decade. In 2023, a collapse at an open-pit coal mine in northern Inner Mongolia killed 53 people. And in 2009, an explosion at a mine in northeastern Heilongjiang province killed more than 100.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for authorities to “spare no effort” in treating the injured and conducting search and rescue operations, while ordering an investigation into the cause of the accident and who was accountable, according to Xinhua.
He “emphasised that all regions and departments must draw lessons from this accident, remain constantly vigilant regarding workplace safety … and resolutely prevent and curb the occurrence of major and catastrophic accidents”.
Premier Li Qiang echoed the instructions, calling for timely and accurate release of information and rigorous accountability.
Rescue operations have begun and the cause of the accident is under investigation, according to the local emergency management authority in Qinyuan.
State media initially reported four deaths and dozens trapped after levels of carbon monoxide – a highly toxic, odourless gas – in the mine were found to have “exceeded limits”. Some of those stuck underground were in “critical condition”, that report said.
China has significantly reduced coalmine fatalities – often caused by gas explosions or flooding – since the early 2000s by imposing more stringent regulations and safer practices.
Executives of the company responsible for the mine have been detained, Xinhua reported.
With Reuters and Agence France-Presse
À surveiller
Perspective IA — des possibilités, pas des certitudes
A thorough investigation into the cause of the gas explosion will be conducted.
Très probable · En quelques semaines
Stricter enforcement of coal mine safety regulations in China.
Probable · En quelques mois
Accountability measures will be taken against those found responsible.
Très probable · En quelques mois
Questions ouvertes
- What specifically caused the gas explosion?
- Were safety regulations adequately enforced prior to the incident?
- What are the exact conditions of the trapped miners?
- What specific measures will be implemented to prevent future accidents?
