Coal Mine Blast in China Kills at Least 82, Injures 128
Quick Look
- A gas explosion at the Liushenyu Coal Mine in Shanxi province, China, has killed at least 82 people and left two missing.
- The blast, which occurred Friday evening, is the worst mining disaster in China since 2009.
- Over 100 workers were rescued, and 128 are being treated in hospitals.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
A gas explosion at the Liushenyu Coal Mine in Shanxi province, China, killed at least 82 people and left two missing. The incident is the worst mining disaster in China since 2009. Over 100 workers were rescued, and 128 are being treated in hospitals.
At least 82 people have been killed and two are missing after a coal mine blast in northern China, officials have said.
Rescue officials revised down the death toll in an update late on Saturday, having earlier said at least 90 people had died.
The gas explosion at the Liushenyu Coal Mine in Shanxi province is the worst mining disaster in China since 2009.
There were 247 workers reportedly on duty when the blast happened at 19:29 local time (11:29 GMT) on Friday, with more than 100 people said to be saved and hundreds of rescuers sent to the site.
Chinese President Xi Jinping said no effort must be spared in efforts to treat the injured and search for survivors.
The country's state council later said a "rigorous" investigation would be conducted and those found responsible would be "severely punished".
Officials apologised for the confusion over the death toll, saying the situation was chaotic at the beginning which led to an unclear headcount and an incorrect figure.
They said that 128 people were being treated in hospitals, including two in critical condition.
Most were affected after inhaling poisonous gas, according to state media, though it is not clear what type of gas it was.
Wang Yong, an injured miner, told state media that when the incident happened, he did not hear a sound but saw a sudden plume of smoke.
"I smelled sulphur, the same smell you get from blasting. I shouted at people to run. As we were running I could see people collapsing from the fumes. Then I blacked out too," he said.
"I lay there for about an hour or so before I came round on my own. I woke up the person next to me and we got out together."
Some of the management team at the mine have reportedly been detained. The cause of the gas explosion has not yet been revealed, but state media reported that the levels of carbon monoxide - a highly toxic, odourless gas - in the mine were found to have "exceeded limits".
China's Ministry of Emergency Management has sent 345 personnel from six rescue teams to help with the operation.
State media said the rescue operation had encountered difficulties as water has built up near the explosion site, preventing access to certain areas, while blueprints provided by the mine did not match the actual conditions.
In 2024, the Liushenyu mine was listed as one of the "severe safety hazards" by the Chinese National Mine Safety Administration.
In the early 2000s, deadly accidents were common in coal mines across the country. Safety standards have been tightened in recent years, and there has also been a crackdown on illegal coal mines, especially in Shanxi.
In 2023, a collapse at an open-pit coal mine in the northern Inner Mongolia region killed 53 people.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
A rigorous investigation will be conducted into the cause of the explosion.
Very likely · Within months
Those found responsible will be severely punished.
Very likely · Within months
Increased scrutiny and enforcement of safety regulations in China's coal mining sector.
Likely · Medium term
Open Questions
- What specific type of gas caused the explosion?
- What was the exact cause of the gas explosion?
- Were safety regulations adequately enforced prior to the incident?
- What measures will be implemented to prevent future disasters?
