A deadly gas explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine in northern China’s Shanxi province has claimed the lives of at least 82 miners, while rescue teams continue searching for two workers who remain missing. The tragic incident is now considered China’s worst mining disaster in almost two decades.
According to officials, around 247 workers were underground when the explosion occurred on Friday. Emergency rescue teams rushed to the site immediately, while injured miners were shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment. Authorities confirmed that more than 100 workers suffered injuries during the disaster.
Family members gathered near the mine entrance anxiously waiting for updates about their loved ones. Several relatives said they had been unable to contact miners since the explosion happened. Emotional scenes were witnessed outside the restricted area as rescue workers continued operations through the night.
Chinese authorities have launched a formal investigation into the incident. Preliminary findings suggest the operating company committed serious safety violations. Reports revealed that many miners entered the shaft without proper registration procedures, including mandatory facial recognition checks and location tracking systems.
Workers at the mine also raised concerns regarding poor safety conditions. Some miners claimed they had to purchase their own safety helmets, while management allegedly ignored important protection measures. A senior miner described the company’s management as one of the worst he had experienced in decades of work.
The Chinese government has now ordered strict nationwide inspections and crackdowns on illegal mining practices. Officials warned that companies violating safety regulations or falsifying worker data would face severe punishment under the law.
China remains the world’s largest consumer of coal, and despite improvements in mining safety over recent years, fatal accidents still occur due to weak enforcement and poor working conditions. The disaster has once again highlighted the urgent need for stronger safety measures in the country’s coal mining industry.
