Taiyuan, May 23 (IANS): A deadly gas explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan County, Shanxi Province, has left 82 people dead with nine others still trapped underground, as rescue operations remain ongoing. China’s Ministry of Emergency Management deployed six national mine emergency rescue teams comprising 345 personnel with equipment to assist in the effort, while a company official linked to the mine has been placed under legal control in accordance with the law. President Xi Jinping urged authorities to spare no effort in rescuing survivors, ensure proper treatment for the injured, and thoroughly investigate the cause of the blast, with those found responsible to be held accountable. State media footage showed paramedics carrying stretchers at the site with ambulances in the background, and more than 100 people have been taken to hospital with rescue work still underway.
Deadly accidents have been common in China’s coal mining industry, though safety standards have been tightened in recent years, with such incidents still continuing to occur. Earlier in 2025, a separate accident at a coal mine in Shaanxi Province saw part of an underground tunnel collapse in Zhenping County while eight workers were carrying out rectification work, with five managing to escape safely and three remaining trapped. The Shanxi gas explosion, one of the deadliest in recent times, has once again drawn national attention to the persistent safety challenges facing China’s coal mining sector.