At Least 90 Dead in Chinese Coal Mine Explosion, State Media Reports

Xinhua

Hundreds of rescuers have arrived at the scene.

At least 90 people have been killed following an explosion at a coal mine in northern China, according to Chinese state media.

The gas explosion occurred at the Liushenyu Coal Mine, operated by the Tongzhou Group, in Shanxi Province.

Hundreds of rescue personnel have been deployed to the scene. Footage broadcast by state media showed paramedics carrying stretchers at the site, while ambulances stood nearby. More than 100 people have reportedly been taken to hospital, with rescue operations continuing.

The blast took place at 19:29 local time on Friday (11:29 GMT) at the coal mine in Shanxi Province, where 247 workers were reportedly on duty at the time of the incident.

Following the explosion, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for “no effort to be spared” in treating the injured and searching for survivors.

He also instructed authorities to investigate the cause of the accident and hold those responsible accountable.

Officials overseeing the mine have reportedly been detained, according to state media. While the cause of the gas explosion has not yet been officially confirmed, reports indicated that carbon monoxide levels inside the mine had “exceeded limits”. Carbon monoxide is a highly toxic and odourless gas.

China’s Ministry of Emergency Management has dispatched 345 personnel from six rescue teams to assist in the operation.

Shanxi Province, one of China’s less affluent provinces, is widely regarded as the country’s coal-mining centre.

Deadly accidents were once common in China’s coal industry during the early 2000s. Although safety regulations have been strengthened in recent years, serious incidents continue to occur.

In 2023, the collapse of an open-pit coal mine in the Inner Mongolia region killed 53 people.

Earlier, in 2009, an explosion at a mine in Heilongjiang in north-eastern China claimed the lives of more than 100 people.

China remains the world’s largest consumer of coal and the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, even as the country rapidly expands its renewable energy capacity.

Source: BBC



PUKMEDIA