On May 22, 2026, at approximately 7:29 pm local time, there was a gas explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan County, Changzhi.
China’s state media reported that at least 90 people had been killed, making it the deadliest mining accident in recent years. The Xinhua News Agency reported there were 247 miners on duty at the time of the explosion. Nine of them remain unaccounted for as of Saturday afternoon, and more than 120 workers have been hospitalized.
Xinhua reports there are hundreds of rescuers and medical personnel on site. Many were injured by the toxic gas released in the explosion, according to CCTV. The cause of the accident is under investigation.
Xinhua reports that carbon levels “exceeded limits” in the mine.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for an all-out effort to rescue the missing workers. He also called for the “proper handling of the aftermath of the accident and urged a thorough investigation into its cause, with accountability pursued in accordance with the law.”
Later, Xinhua reported that the people responsible for the accident were “placed under control,: according to the local emergency management bureau.
Sources:
AP News: Deadliest coal mine explosion in China in years kills 90 people, state media
ABC News: 82 dead, 9 trapped in coal mine accident in northern China: State media
Yahoo: At Least 90 Dead, 123 Others Hospitalized After Gas Explosion at Coal Mine
Featured Image Courtesy of Thomas Gut’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
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