The explosion occurred at 7:30 PM on 22/5 while 247 workers were underground at the Liushenyu coal mine in Changzhi city, Shanxi province, northern China.
By 6:00 AM today, 201 individuals had been brought out of the mine. Officials confirmed eight fatalities and 38 people remain trapped.
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Rescue workers move an injured person during a mine collapse in Shanxi, 2019. Photo: AFP |
Rescue workers move an injured person during a mine collapse in Shanxi, 2019. Photo: AFP
Xinhua previously reported that carbon monoxide (CO) gas levels in the mine "exceeded permissible limits". CO is a colorless, odorless gas produced when coal, gasoline, oil, or natural gas burns in low-oxygen conditions.
The cause of the accident is currently under investigation. The Liushenyu coal mine is operated by the Sanxi Tongzhou group.
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Location of the Liushenyu mine in Shanxi province, China. Graphic: CNN |
Location of the Liushenyu mine in Shanxi province, China. Graphic: CNN
Shanxi province is a major coal mining hub in China, accounting for approximately one-third of the country's total coal output. Consequently, mine safety risks in the region are under constant scrutiny. In 2023, Chinese authorities recorded 87 accidents in Shanxi coal mines, resulting in 100 fatalities, a more than 53% increase compared to 65 deaths from 54 accidents in 2022.
Serious incidents have continued in recent years, including a mine compartment collapse in Zhongyang district in 3/2024 that resulted in 5 deaths and two missing, and a mine roof collapse in Xing county, Luliang city, in 4/2026, which killed 4 people.
Duc Trung (According to Xinhua, ABC News, Global Times)
