At least 90 killed in China's worst coal mine disaster in over 16 years

At least 90 people died in a gas explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine in China's northern Shanxi province, making it the nation's deadliest mining disaster in over 16 years. The blast occurred late Friday, trapping 247 workers underground.

Rescue efforts are underway, and authorities are investigating the cause of the accident. Shanxi is a major coal-mining region in China. The mine is operated by Shanxi Tongzhou Group Liushenyu Coal Industry, which was established in 2010.

“

spare no effort

President Xi Jinping has called for all-out efforts to treat the injured and conduct search-and-rescue operations. He also ordered a thorough investigation into the accident's cause and strict accountability under the law. Premier Li Qiang emphasized the need for timely and accurate information release and rigorous accountability.

Executives from the company responsible for the mine have been detained, according to state media Xinhua. China has worked to improve coal mine safety since the early 2000s, reducing fatalities through stricter regulations. In 2009, a similar incident in Heilongjiang Province killed 108 people.

“

The coal refuse contains a variety of metal elements and could become an important source of critical metal supply.