Authorities investigating safety lapses after coal mine explosion in China that killed at least 82 people

QINYUAN – Authorities in northern China were investigating a coal mine operator with a focus on safety lapses, as rescuers searched for those missing in the country’s deadliest coal mine explosion in recent years, which killed at least 82 people.

An Associated Press reporter saw police and security guards guarding the entrance to the mining facility located in Qinyuan County, Changzhi City, while emergency vehicles were on site.

Hundreds of emergency responders and medical personnel were sent to assist in the rescue efforts, state media reported. Rescuers took turns descending the mine shaft, according to the official Xinhua news agency, encountering obstacles including flooded tunnels.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for a thorough investigation and accountability of those responsible following Friday night’s explosion at Liushenyu Coal Mine in the northern province of Shanxi.

Two people are missing and dozens of minors have been hospitalized, local authorities said Saturday evening. The death toll was revised down from 90, with authorities blaming the “chaotic” scenes that followed and inaccurate information provided by the mine operator.

Some hospitalized minors remember seeing smoke and fainting, according to state media. Many injured people were affected by toxic gases.

Coal-rich province

Inland Shanxi This province, located southwest of Beijing and with around 34 million inhabitants, is the main mining region of China.

A few hundred meters from the mine is the village of Shangzhuang, where some of the miners working at the site, including some of the victims, live, residents said.

The village has a single main street through which mining trucks pass. On both sides stand two-story houses, some with red tile roofs. Some of them are divided into separate rooms and rented to people, especially minors.

After the explosion, other mines in the area closed and some miners left, while others stayed behind while waiting to receive their wages, residents said.

Wang Linjun, a coal miner in Liushenyu, said he was at home when the gas explosion occurred.

“My heart is very heavy,” he told the AP. “To think that those who eat and work together suddenly disappear, no one would feel good.” Wang said he didn’t want to continue working, but didn’t know where to go.

Minors can receive more than 10,000 yuan ($1,500) per month.

Feng Renfu, also a miner in Liushenyu, said he was working underground in a pit next to where the accident took place. Feng said he and his colleagues smelled gas and went underground.

“My father is over 80 years old and he worries about me. He always calls me to check if I am safe and okay at my job,” Feng said. “My family has eight people and they all depend on me. »

Security breaches investigated

The coal mine “severely” violated the law, according to local authorities, although they did not elaborate on the specific violations. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported that plans provided by the Liushenyu coal mine did not match the actual layout, hampering rescue efforts.

State media said those responsible had been “placed under control”. A commentary in the official People’s Daily newspaper on Sunday called on all regions and departments to learn lessons from the accident and “always keep safety in mind.”

Local authorities also announced a “comprehensive and comprehensive” inspection of the coal mining sector which would include checks on coal mine gas evacuation, ventilation, safety monitoring systems and their underground layout.

Wider inspection of coal mines could put pressure on the province’s ability to produce its annual capacity of around 1.3 billion tonnes of coal, which represents almost a third of China’s total. The country’s total coal production reached around 4.8 billion tonnes last year.

China still depends on coal

Coal remains a major energy source in China, given its wide availability and low cost, even as the country accelerates its green energy transition. Mining accidents were common and authorities had implemented measures to help improve security in recent years.

China’s National Mine Safety Administration added the Liushenyu mine, operated by private Shanxi Tongzhou Group, to the national list of disaster-prone coal mines in 2024.

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Chan reported from Hong Kong.