Gas explosion at Chinese coal mine kills at least 90 | Mining News
Gas Explosion at Chinese Coal Mine Claims Lives of 90 Workers
Published May 23, 2026
A gas explosion at a coal mine in Shanxi province, China, has resulted in the deaths of at least 90 individuals, according to state media outlet Xinhua. The incident took place at the Liushenyu mine in Qinyuan County on Friday, with a reported 247 workers on duty underground at the time of the explosion.
This disaster marks one of the deadliest mining incidents in China in over a decade, highlighting ongoing safety issues within the country’s coal mining industry. Rescue operations are still underway as emergency crews search for any remaining survivors.
Preliminary reports indicate that the blast happened shortly after a carbon monoxide alert was issued, suggesting that gas levels may have surpassed safety thresholds. In response to the incident, authorities have apprehended the individual responsible for overseeing the mine while an investigation is conducted.
President Xi Jinping has called for comprehensive safety measures across the nation. He emphasized the need for all regions and departments to learn from this tragedy, reinforcing the importance of vigilance in workplace safety. “Thorough investigations must be conducted to identify and rectify all risks and hidden dangers to prevent the recurrence of major accidents,” Xi stipulated.
Video footage from the scene revealed multiple ambulances at the site, underscoring the urgency of the rescue efforts.
Shanxi province is recognized as China’s primary coal-mining region, with over one billion tons extracted in the previous year, accounting for nearly a third of the nation’s total coal output. As the world’s largest producer and consumer of coal, China also contributes more than half of global coal consumption, alongside being the leading emitter of greenhouse gases and the largest producer of renewable energy.
