A gas explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine in Changzhi city, China's northern Shanxi province, killed at least 90 people on Friday evening, state media reported Saturday. The blast was the country's deadliest mining accident in recent years.
Around 247 workers were on duty when the explosion occurred, according to Xinhua News Agency. Nine miners remained unaccounted for as of Saturday afternoon, and more than 120 people were hospitalized with injuries including toxic gas exposure.
President Xi Jinping called for an all-out rescue effort and ordered a thorough investigation into the cause of the accident, with accountability pursued in accordance with the law. The State Council, China's cabinet, dispatched an investigation team to conduct what Xinhua described as a "rigorous and uncompromising" probe.
The mine was operated by Shanxi Tongzhou Coal & Coke Group with an annual production capacity of 1.2 million tons. The National Mine Safety Administration had placed the Liushenyu mine on a national list of disaster-prone coal mines in 2024, citing its status as a "high gas content" operation.
Rescue efforts faced challenges when blueprints provided by the coal mine did not match the actual underground layout, according to CCTV. Hundreds of rescuers and medical personnel were deployed to the site.
One hospitalized miner, Wang Yong, described the explosion to CCTV in a video interview. "I smelled sulfur like firecrackers and saw smoke," he said. "I told people to run. As I ran, I saw people being choked by the smoke. And then I blacked out."
Those responsible for the company involved have been placed under control, citing the local emergency management bureau.
What the Left Is Saying
International labor rights organizations called for stronger enforcement of mining safety standards following the disaster. Groups including the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions noted that China has improved safety regulations over recent years but said systemic gaps remain in oversight of high-risk operations. "Every worker deserves the right to return home safely," the federation stated on its website. Environmental advocates also used the tragedy to renew calls for accelerated transition away from coal, arguing that reliance on the fossil fuel perpetuates dangerous working conditions.
What the Right Is Saying
Chinese state media emphasized the government's swift response and commitment to accountability. Editorials in outlets including the People's Daily praised Xi's immediate directives and highlighted ongoing safety improvements implemented since previous disasters. Industry analysts noted that Shanxi province, which produced 1.3 billion tons of coal last year—nearly a third of China's total—remains critical to national energy security. Some commentators argued that accidents at even well-regulated mines underscore the inherent risks of deep underground mining and called for expanded investment in safety technology rather than reduced production.
What the Numbers Show
The Liushenyu mine had been flagged as high-risk by Chinese regulators since 2024. Shanxi province, larger than Greece with a population of approximately 34 million, operates hundreds of mines that collectively produce about one-third of China's coal output. Saturday's death toll of at least 90 surpasses the 53 killed in an Inner Mongolia open-pit mine collapse in February 2023 and falls just short of the 108 killed in a Heilongjiang mine explosion in November 2009, according to state media records. The mine's annual production capacity was listed at 1.2 million tons.
The Bottom Line
The disaster highlights ongoing tensions between China's coal-dependent energy system and worker safety concerns. Investigators are expected to examine whether regulatory warnings about the mine's high gas content were adequately addressed. The fate of the nine still missing remains uncertain as rescue operations continue in difficult underground conditions.