A gas explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine in Shanxi Province, northern China, killed at least 82 people and left nine others trapped underground, Chinese state media reported Saturday. Rescue teams are still working to reach the missing.
The blast struck the mine in Qinyuan County, in the city of Changzhi, on Friday. It is among the deadliest mining accidents China has recorded in recent years.
The gas explosion hit the Liushenyu coal mine on Friday. More than 100 people were taken to hospital. State media footage showed paramedics carrying stretchers at the site, with ambulances lined up behind them.
Rescue operations continued through Saturday, with nine workers still unaccounted for underground.
The Response
China’s Ministry of Emergency Management deployed six national mine emergency rescue teams — 345 personnel with specialist equipment — to the site.
President Xi Jinping intervened directly, ordering authorities to exhaust every option to rescue survivors and ensure proper medical care for the injured.
“Investigate the cause of the accident and hold those responsible to account,” Xi said, according to Xinhua news agency.
At least one company official has already been detained. Xinhua reported that a person responsible for the mine operator was placed under control in accordance with the law, citing the rescue headquarters.
Safety and Accountability
China’s coal mining sector has a long history of deadly accidents. Safety regulations have been tightened over the past decade, but enforcement remains inconsistent, and fatal incidents continue.
Earlier in 2025, eight workers were carrying out underground maintenance in Zhenping County, Shaanxi Province, when a tunnel section collapsed. Five escaped. Three were trapped.
The Shanxi explosion is on a different scale entirely.
What Comes Next
Rescue teams remain at the Liushenyu mine. The nine trapped workers have not been reached. Chinese authorities have not given a timeline for when the rescue operation is expected to conclude.
An official investigation into the cause of the blast is underway. With a company executive already detained, the government has signalled that accountability will follow — though in past incidents, legal proceedings have moved slowly.
For the families of 82 dead miners, the investigation is secondary. The question now is whether any of the nine still underground will come out alive.
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