Chinese authorities have launched a full investigation after a gas explosion at a coal mine in Shanxi Province killed 90 people and left nine missing.
The blast struck the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan County late Friday evening. State media reported that 247 workers were underground when the explosion occurred. Rescue teams have since pulled 201 miners to safety, while search efforts continue for those still trapped.
“Authorities must spare no effort in treating the injured and conducting search and rescue operations,” President Xi Jinping said in instructions issued Saturday. He also called for a thorough investigation into the cause and for accountability to be pursued in accordance with the law.
The mine, operated by Shanxi Tongzhou Coal & Coke Group, had been listed in 2024 as a disaster-prone site due to high gas content. Company executives have been detained as part of the ongoing probe.
Around 123 of those rescued are receiving treatment in hospitals, with four listed in critical or serious condition. Rescuers described difficult conditions, with supplies only able to move in and out by mine cars along a steep 30-degree slope.
The accident marks China’s deadliest coal mine disaster since 2005. Officials have pledged to strengthen safety checks and emergency preparedness across the country’s mining sector.
