Liushenyu disaster exposes deadly industrial risks as authorities investigate failures behind catastrophic underground explosion today.
A devastating gas explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine in northern China has killed scores of workers and triggered a major underground rescue operation in Shanxi province.
The blast struck the mine in Qinyuan county, Changzhi city, about 520 kilometers southwest of Beijing, after the site reportedly issued a carbon monoxide alert. At the time of the explosion, 247 workers were underground, forcing emergency teams into a large-scale rescue effort amid dangerous conditions.
Reports on the death toll have varied, with Reuters reporting at least 90 killed, while AP and South China Morning Post reported that authorities later revised the confirmed figure to at least 82, with more than 100 survivors hospitalized and some miners still missing.
The Liushenyu facility is operated by Shanxi Tongzhou Group Liushenyu Coal Industry. Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the explosion, while company executives have reportedly been detained as officials examine possible safety violations.
The disaster is being described as one of China’s deadliest mining accidents in years, again exposing the severe risks faced by workers in the country’s coal sector despite repeated safety campaigns and tighter regulations.
Rescue teams continued working to determine whether additional miners remained trapped underground, as families awaited answers and officials promised accountability for the tragedy.
