– Changzhi City, China
A powerful gas explosion rocked the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan County, Changzhi City, on Friday evening, May 22. The explosion occurred at 7:29 p.m. after carbon monoxide alarms were triggered. At the time, 247 miners were underground.
Rescue teams from six national emergency response units, totaling 345 personnel, were immediately deployed to the site. So far, at least 90 miners have been confirmed dead, and nine others remain missing. The mine, operated by Shanxi Tongzhou Group, had previously been flagged for high gas levels and safety violations.
President Xi Jinping ordered a comprehensive rescue operation, appropriate medical care for the injured, and a thorough investigation of the incident. A senior company executive has already been detained.
This is the deadliest coal mining disaster in China since 2009. Shanxi province produces more than a quarter of the country's coal. Local authorities are providing support to the victims' families and have promised to keep them informed transparently as rescue efforts and the investigation continue.