China : Over 80 Killed After Gas Explosion In Shanxi; Rescue Operations For Trapped Under Way

23rd May 2026 at 12:15 PM

1 minute read

Changzhi : A gas explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine in Changzhi city in northern China has killed at least 82 people. The explosion in northern China’s led to a major rescue operation after hundreds of workers were trapped underground, according to South China Morning Post. The blast took place on Friday in Qinyuan county, around 520 km southwest of Beijing, shortly after the mine reportedly issued a carbon monoxide alert.

Chinese president Xi Jinping directed rescuers to make every effort to locate the missing workers and ensure the aftermath is properly handled. 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. The warning comes days after severe rainfall in Shimen county in Hunan province left at least seven people dead and affected more than 100,000 residents.

Li further instructed the State Council’s workplace safety office to remind local administrations of their duty to investigate industrial accidents and “resolutely” prevent future disasters. The death toll from the blast rose sharply from 8 to 82 overnight. State broadcaster CCTV said, “Reporters at the scene of the gas explosion at the Liushenyu Coal Mine… have learnt that the accident has claimed the lives of over 82 people,” adding that rescue operations were still underway.

Earlier Xinhua had reported only eight dead, with more than 200 people safely brought to the surface. It did not explain the jump in the death toll. Shanxi is the centre of China’s coal mining industry. The landlocked province, which is larger than Greece and has a population of nearly 34 million, is considered the country’s biggest coal-producing region.