Death Toll Rises to 90 in Worst Disaster in 17 Years

A catastrophic gas explosion at a coal mine in northern China’s Shanxi province has killed at least 90 workers, making it the country’s deadliest mining disaster since 2009. Two miners remain missing as rescue operations continue.

The explosion tore through the underground shafts of the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan County late Friday. State media network Xinhua reported that 247 miners were working underground when the blast occurred.

Shanxi provincial authorities deployed seven emergency rescue and medical teams, totaling 755 personnel, to track down the missing workers and treat survivors. By Saturday evening, local officials held a press conference confirming the updated death toll and observed a moment of silence for the victims.

Chinese President Xi Jinping issued urgent orders to local authorities to spare no effort in the search and rescue operations. President Xi demanded a rigorous investigation into the cause of the disaster, calling for strict legal accountability for those responsible.

Following the directive, state media confirmed that executives from the Shanxi Tongzhou Group Liushenyu Coal Industry—the firm operating the site—have been detained by police. Premier Li Qiang also pushed for an accurate, timely public release of information regarding the incident.

Shanxi province is the heartland of China’s coal mining industry. While stringent regulations over the last two decades have successfully reduced large-scale mining accidents, gas explosions and flash flooding remain persistent hazards for underground workers.

This weekend's explosion marks China's highest mining death toll since 2009, when a similar coal and gas outburst in Heilongjiang Province claimed the lives of 108 people.

With China entering its seasonal flood window, President Xi warned industrial sectors nationwide to learn from this tragedy. He urged local governments to step up risk monitoring and workplace safety inspections to prevent secondary disasters.