Gas explosion at Chinese coal mine kills at least 90

A gas explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county, Shanxi province killed at least 90 people. Xinhua reported 247 workers were underground when the blast occurred on Friday. Rescue operations continued as emergency crews searched for survivors, with the disaster described as the deadliest in China in more than a decade. The blast followed a carbon monoxide alert, and some reports claimed gas levels exceeded safe limits. State media said the person overseeing the mine was arrested and authorities investigated the cause. President Xi Jinping urged all regions and departments to learn from the accident, remain vigilant on workplace safety, thoroughly investigate, fix hidden risks, and prevent major accidents. Shanxi produces a large share of China’s coal output, and China is the world’s largest coal producer and consumer.

"A gas explosion at a coal mine in China has killed at least 90 people. State media Xinhua said 247 workers had been on duty underground when the blast ripped through the Liushenyu mine in Qinyuan county, Shanxi province, on Friday. Rescue operations were ongoing as emergency crews continued searching for survivors of the explosion, the deadliest mining disaster reported in China in more than a decade."

"The blast occurred shortly after a carbon monoxide alert was issued, with some reports claiming gas levels had exceeded safe limits. According to state-run broadcaster CGTN, the person responsible for overseeing the mine has been arrested while authorities investigate the cause of the explosion."

"President Xi Jinping has urged authorities across China to intensify efforts to prevent major accidents in the wake of Friday's blast. All regions and departments must learn from the lessons of the accident, remain vigilant regarding workplace safety, thoroughly investigate, rectify all types of risks and hidden dangers, and resolutely prevent and curb the occurrence of major and serious accidents, Xi said."

"China's coal mines are considered among the deadliest in the world due to poor safety standards, weak regulation, and corruption as companies seek to profit from the country's rapidly expanding economy. Shanxi province, where the incident occurred, is China's main coal-mining region. More than one billion tonnes of coal were extracted there last year, almost a third of the country's total output."

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