At least eight people were killed and dozens remain trapped following a gas explosion at a coal mine in northern China, according to state media reports on Saturday.
The explosion occurred Friday evening at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan County, located in Shanxi Province, a major coal-producing region often referred to as the country’s coal-mining capital.
State news agency Xinhua reported that 247 workers were underground at the time of the blast. By early Saturday, rescue teams had managed to bring 201 people safely to the surface, including the eight confirmed fatalities, while nearly 40 miners remained trapped underground.
Authorities said dangerous levels of carbon monoxide were detected inside the mine following the explosion, with several trapped workers reportedly in critical condition.
Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered authorities to “spare no effort” in rescuing those missing and treating the injured. He also called for a full investigation into the cause of the accident and demanded strict accountability under the law.
Xi stressed the need for stronger workplace safety measures, urging all regions and departments across China to learn lessons from the disaster and prevent future major industrial accidents.
Despite improvements in mining safety standards in recent years, accidents continue to occur frequently in China’s coal industry, where poor enforcement of safety regulations and hazardous working conditions remain longstanding concerns.
