At least 90 killed in gas explosion at Chinese coal mine

A Gas Explosion at a Chinese Coal Mine Results in At Least 90 Fatalities

At least 90 people have died in a gas explosion at a coal mine in Shanxi province, China. According to reports, 247 workers were on duty underground when the blast occurred at the Liushenyu mine in Qinyuan county on Friday.

The incident has prompted President Xi Jinping to call for authorities nationwide to learn from the incident and intensify efforts to prevent major accidents. The president urged all regions and departments to thoroughly investigate the cause of the explosion, rectify risks and hidden dangers, and resolutely prevent and curb the occurrence of major and serious accidents.

Rescue operations are ongoing, with emergency crews continuing to search for survivors. Authorities have arrested the person responsible for overseeing the mine as part of their investigation into the incident. The blast occurred shortly after a carbon monoxide alert was issued, with some reports suggesting that gas levels had exceeded safe limits.

The Liushenyu mine is one of China’s main coal-mining regions, accounting for almost a third of the country’s total output last year. Shanxi province is home to over 1 billion tonnes of coal extracted annually, making it a significant contributor to China’s coal production.

The incident marks the deadliest mining disaster reported in China in more than a decade.

Source: Al Jazeera