A powerful gas explosion at a coal mine in northern China has killed at least 90 workers, state media confirmed Saturday, in one of the country’s deadliest industrial disasters in more than a decade.
The blast struck the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county in Shanxi Province late Friday while hundreds of workers were underground, according to the state news agency Xinhua News Agency.
Authorities said about 247 miners were on duty at the time of the explosion. Initial reports listed far fewer casualties, but the death toll rose sharply as rescue teams reached deeper sections of the mine.
Emergency crews continued search and recovery efforts into Saturday, while several workers remained unaccounted for. Many of the injured suffered from exposure to toxic gases, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
Officials said the cause of the explosion is under investigation. Early indications suggest gas levels inside the mine may have exceeded safe limits shortly before the blast, with some reports pointing to a carbon monoxide alert issued prior to the incident.
Executives linked to the mining operation have been taken into custody as authorities examine possible safety failures.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping called for a full scale rescue effort and ordered a thorough investigation, urging officials to hold those responsible accountable and strengthen workplace safety oversight nationwide.
Premier Li Qiang also called for transparent updates and strict enforcement of safety regulations.
Footage shared online showed ambulances and emergency vehicles lined up near the mine entrance as rescue teams worked through the night.
The Associated Press and Reuters both confirmed the rising death toll and ongoing rescue operations, describing the explosion as among the most severe mining accidents in recent years.
Despite improvements in oversight over the past two decades, China’s coal mining industry remains one of the most hazardous in the world. Gas explosions, often caused by methane buildup in poorly ventilated shafts, continue to pose a major risk, particularly in high output regions such as Shanxi.
Shanxi produces nearly a third of China’s coal, making it central to the country’s energy supply. The pressure to maintain production levels can strain safety enforcement, especially in smaller or privately operated mines.
The sharp increase in the reported death toll highlights a recurring issue in major industrial accidents in China, where early figures are often revised as access improves and the scale of damage becomes clearer.
This disaster is likely to renew scrutiny of regulatory enforcement and corporate accountability in the mining sector. While Beijing has introduced stricter safety rules in recent years, incidents of this magnitude suggest gaps remain between policy and practice.
Globally, the accident also underscores the ongoing reliance on coal as a primary energy source, even as China invests heavily in renewable energy. The tension between energy demand and worker safety continues to shape the future of the industry, both within China and beyond.
Reuters/AP/Aljazeera
