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A "tough and uncompromising" investigation will be carried out by China's central government into the gas explosion.
6 national rescue teams have been dispatched after gas explosion.
A total of 247 workers were underground when the accident occurred at 7:29 pm on Friday at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county, Changzhi.
The death toll from the coal mine gas explosion has risen to 82.
Special support is being extended to the families of the 82 people killed in Friday's deadly mine accident in Shanxi province, as rescuers continue to work around the clock to search for the two missing miners on Monday and the process of ensuring every possible aid for the families of the victims progresses steadily.
A gas explosion struck the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county of Changzhi in Shanxi province at 7:29 pm on Friday, killing 82, while two remained missing.
A total of 128 people were injured and were receiving hospital treatment, including two in critical condition and two in serious condition. Another 35 people with minor injuries have returned home.
Dedicated support teams have been assigned to each victim's family. The teams have been offering emotional support and psychological counseling to help ease the pain of losing a loved one, Feng Rui, a member of the support teams, told China Daily on Monday.
"The support teams are in the process of gathering detailed information about family structure, household income and the concerns of the victims' families, which can help in carrying out more effective follow-up actions," Feng said.
He added that it is essential not only to ensure that families receive adequate compensation in a timely manner, but also to provide emotional support and long-term care.
On Monday, surveillance video footage that caught the exact moment of the explosion was made public. It showed that dust and smoke from the powerful blast engulfed the mine shaft within seconds and were visible near the surface within a minute.
When a gas explosion occurs in a confined space, the resulting shock wave can cause severe injuries to the human body and also lead to the collapse of the structure, which can crush people, said Huo Kaifeng, a veteran mine rescue expert.
"After the explosion, the temperature shoots up, causing burns and scalding. Additionally, a gas explosion produces carbon monoxide, and oxygen levels in the confined space rapidly fall, leading to suffocation. Typically, such explosions occur without much warning, leaving very limited time for people to escape," Huo said.
On Monday, the search for the missing miners continued in treacherous conditions created by cave-ins and flooding in the tunnels.
At a meeting on work safety on Sunday attended by top officials of Shanxi province, including Tang Dengjie, Party secretary of the province, officials said the accident resulted in heavy casualties, exposing numerous weaknesses in the province's work safety system. The cost was extremely severe, and the lessons learned are profound.
As one of China's key coal-producing regions, Shanxi has always made coal mine safety a top priority in its work safety efforts. The province will thoroughly inspect and rectify safety risks and hazards in the coal mine sector and fundamentally reverse the current situation of frequent coal mine accidents, a statement issued after the meeting said.
The statement added that the province will thoroughly uncover and strictly investigate issues such as illegal underground operations, falsification of safety monitoring data, unclear numbers of workers going underground, and illegal subcontracting of coal production.
Contact the writers at cuijia@chinadaily.com.cn
When I reached the road leading to the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county, Shanxi province, around noon on Saturday, it had already been sealed off.
Ambulances waited nearby. Rescue vehicles rushed in and out. Police cordons marked the boundary between the outside world and a rescue operation unfolding deep underground — in tunnels rendered extremely dangerous by cave-ins, flooding and toxic gases.
A huge explosion rocked the coal mine at 7:29 pm on Friday. As of Saturday night, local authorities confirmed that 82 people had been killed and two remained unaccounted for. A total of 128 people were injured and taken to hospitals for treatment.
For rescuers at the site, every descent into the mine shaft was driven by one hope — to find signs of life.
Among those helping in the aftermath of the disaster is 54-year-old Guang Xinhai, head of the Shanxi Huayang mine rescue squad, one of China's national-level mine emergency rescue teams. Guang, who has more than three decades of experience in mine rescues, described the operation as exceptionally difficult.
After receiving the call late on Friday, Guang and his 67-member team set out for Qinyuan overnight and arrived at the site in the early hours of Saturday.
"We searched for more than eight straight hours, checking every possible corner," Guang said after coming out of the mine on Saturday. "We want to hold on to every little hope of life and bring the miners out as soon as possible."
Near the mine entrance, rescue personnel waited for their turn to descend to the affected area. As soon as one team returned above ground, another made its way down. Some rescuers, their faces blackened with coal dust, rested briefly on the open ground before heading for the next round of efforts.
One rescuer, still covered in dust after emerging from the shaft, said it was the largest rescue operation he had ever joined.
"As long as there is hope, we will make every possible effort," he said.
The difficult circumstances could be fathomed from the equipment being sent underground. Rubber boats, waterproof suits and other supplies were rushed into the mine to deal with flooded sections of the tunnel. Officials said the presence of toxic gases inside the mine shaft posed the risk of secondary disasters.
Villagers living nearby recalled hearing a loud explosion on Friday evening. Some miners managed to escape on their own, but others were not so lucky. Several survivors later spoke of thick dust and a deafening noise when the accident took place.
A retired miner who once worked at the mine also rushed to the site. Familiar with the underground layout, he said he hopes that his knowledge could help the rescue teams.
"I really did not want to see an accident like this happen," he said.
Rescue work continues at the site. Teams of rescue personnel are working around the clock in shifts and equipment is being sent to support the search.
"My greatest wish now is that the miners return home safely," said Guang, the rescuer.
His team has deployed robots underground to improve search efficiency and rescue safety.
Luo Wangshu in Beijing contributed to this story.
Workers injured in a coal mine gas explosion in Shanxi province are receiving targeted treatment and psychological support while being kept under close observation, local health officials said, adding that all the hospitalized miners are in stable condition.
The blast occurred at 7:29 pm on Friday at the Liushenyu coal mine, which is operated by Shanxi Tongzhou Group, in Qinyuan county of Changzhi. As of press time, the death toll stood at 82, with two miners still missing and 128 injured.
Guo Junzhi, head of the Changzhi health commission, said the medical teams were prioritizing the most seriously injured, classifying patients by condition and providing targeted treatment.
Guo said that 124 workers with minor injuries had already been transferred to Grade A tertiary hospitals — the highest-level public hospitals in China's medical grading system — for observation and symptomatic treatment. Two seriously injured and two critically injured patients were receiving customized treatment, with provincial — and city-level medical experts working to reduce the risk of further complications.
"All hospitalized patients are currently displaying stable vital signs, and their conditions are generally under control," Guo said.
Immediately after the accident, Shanxi activated its medical emergency response plan, mobilizing local medical resources and sending provincial experts to the front line. The experts helped health personnel in Changzhi carry out injury assessment and provide emergency treatment as well as life support.
The National Health Commission organized multidisciplinary remote consultations involving specialists from the National Center for Trauma Medicine and the National Center for Respiratory Medicine to further optimize treatment plans. Experts from Peking Union Medical College Hospital and Beijing Jishuitan Hospital were also sent to the site to provide intensive care, burn treatment and trauma care.
Zhao Caihong, vice-president of Qinyuan People's Hospital, said the hospital had opened up additional wards as soon as the injured miners were brought in and mobilized doctors and nurses to provide treatment.
"As soon as the patients' vital signs stabilized, we started hyperbaric oxygen therapy, because most of them were affected by carbon monoxide poisoning," Zhao said.
She said the hospital's hyperbaric oxygen chamber can treat only six patients at a time, and each session takes nearly two hours. After Changzhi activated its broader emergency response, hospitals in surrounding areas were mobilized, and patients with milder symptoms were transferred to those hospitals for hyperbaric oxygen treatment.
On Friday night, 86 patients were transferred to other hospitals, while Qinyuan People's Hospital kept its own oxygen chamber running continuously, Zhao said.
Some miners who had returned home after being assessed as having no major problems were contacted on Saturday morning and asked to return for observation and treatment.
Zhao said that 43 people had been screened at the hospital's emergency department on Sunday. Some chose to return home, while hospital staff continued to review all test results. Patients who showed signs of myocardial injury were advised to remain hospitalized.
"Most patients suffered carbon monoxide poisoning or organ damage caused by toxic gases, but they were mostly mild cases," she said.
Psychological intervention has also been launched. Guo from the Changzhi health commission said that professional teams have been arranged to provide counseling, emotional support and humanitarian care for injured workers and their families. Follow-up treatment, rehabilitation and health monitoring will continue under the guidance of national and provincial medical experts.
Liang Jianwei, 54, a repairman at the mine, said the explosion occurred in a tunnel about 4 kilometers from where he was working. He received the evacuation order at around 10 pm on Friday, and it took him around two hours to escape from the mine.
"My condition was not serious. After I came out after midnight, I went to the dormitory, took a shower and slept," Liang said. He returned home the next morning, but was called back to the hospital for further checks.
At the hospital, he met several coworkers and learned that all 14 people in his group had escaped safely.
Another lightly injured miner, 47-year-old Zhang Taosuo, a member of the mine's transport team, said he arrived at the hospital shortly before 9 pm on Friday and received oxygen therapy and infusion treatment.
"When the explosion took place, I was knocked down," Zhang said. He remained conscious, but suffered a scalp injury.
Zhang said that nearly 40 coworkers had gone underground with him, and he was among the first to get out because he was about 400 meters from the entrance. He reached the surface in seven or eight minutes.
The workers said there were no obvious warning signs before the explosion. Zhang said that while workers had been trained in emergency response and self-rescue, a real accident was hard to deal with.
After reaching safety, Zhang, a father of two, called his family immediately to let them know he was safe.
"I didn't feel much while escaping, but after I reached the entrance, I felt nauseous," he said. "I still feel scared when I think about it. I was lucky to survive."
All-out rescue efforts continued on Sunday to locate two people still unaccounted for after a deadly coal mine accident in Shanxi province.
A gas explosion struck the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county of the city of Changzhi at 7:29 pm on Friday. A total of 82 people were confirmed dead, and two were missing.
A total of 128 people were injured and were receiving hospital treatment, including two in critical condition and two in serious condition. Another 35 people without serious injuries returned home.
President Xi Jinping, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, has urged all-out efforts to rescue the missing and treat the injured, and he demanded a thorough investigation, with accountability pursued in accordance with the law.
Xi also stressed that authorities across the country must draw lessons from the accident, remain vigilant regarding workplace safety, and intensify efforts to identify and eliminate potential risks in order to prevent major accidents.
As China has entered flood season, he also called for strengthened emergency preparedness and solid flood control and disaster relief measures to safeguard people's lives and property.
Premier Li Qiang also gave instructions on the rescue and accident investigation efforts. Li, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, urged the strengthening of workplace safety supervision across the country and called for a workplace safety overhaul in key sectors to curb the occurrence of major accidents.
Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing has led a team to the site to oversee rescue operations and handling of the accident aftermath. The team said it will launch a "tough and uncompromising" investigation into the cause of the accident, clarify responsibilities in local management, industry supervision and corporate operations, and impose strict penalties in accordance with laws and regulations.
It also called on all regions and relevant departments to conduct a comprehensive review of mine safety measures and crack down on illegal and rule-breaking operations.
Authorities were instructed to carry out strict inspections and punish violations including concealed entrances in coal mines, falsification of safety monitoring data, unclear numbers of underground workers, and illegal subcontracting or contract transfers, according to the report.
Guo Xiaofang, head of the Qinyuan county government, said at a news conference on Saturday that initial inaccuracies in casualty figures were caused by chaos at the scene and the company's failure to provide an accurate head count of workers on duty. According to China Central Television, only 124 workers were registered in the system when the accident occurred, while the actual number of workers on duty was 247.
The company involved in the explosion was found to have "serious violations of laws" in an initial investigation. Those responsible have been placed under control, and all of the company's coal mines have ceased production, said Chen Xiangyang, mayor of Changzhi.
Liang Jianwei, who was working near the site of the explosion, told China Daily on Sunday that many miners collapsed after inhaling toxic gas. As he evacuated on Friday, it took him about two hours to reach safety, he said.
"One by one, the miners who evacuated with me soon started to feel dizzy, so I immediately activated my portable self-rescue device, which helped me breathe. I also tried to open all the ventilation vaults in the thick dust along the way to let air in. We could see many people had already collapsed in the main shafts," said the 54-year-old, who was being treated at Qinyuan People's Hospital.
According to public information, the privately owned Liushenyu mine was listed in 2024 by the National Mine Safety Administration as a "severe safety hazard for high gas emissions". Regulations require safety management standards equivalent to those for high-gas mines, including strengthened outburst prevention measures, increased monitoring frequency and upgraded emergency response plans.
As a major comprehensive energy base in the country, Shanxi has abundant coal resources. According to the provincial government, between 2021 and 2025, daily coal production in Shanxi remained stable at over 3.5 million metric tons. Total raw coal output reached approximately 6.5 billion tons, accounting for nearly 30 percent of the national total.
The province has sent 755 rescuers and medical personnel to the site, while the Ministry of Emergency Management sent six national mine emergency rescue teams, totaling 345 people, to assist.
Guang Xinhai, captain of the Shanxi Huayang mine rescue team of the National Mine Emergency Rescue system, said on Sunday that the mission remained difficult due to cave-ins and flooding in the tunnels.
"We will not give up hope, and we will make every possible effort while ensuring the safety of team members," Guang said. "We plan to screen the entire mine by this afternoon."
Officials said toxic and harmful gases in the mine shaft had exceeded safe limits, raising the risk of secondary disasters.
Rescue plans provided by the Liushenyu coal mine were also found to be inconsistent with the actual underground layout, complicating search and rescue operations, China Emergency Management News reported.
According to the on-site command center, the explosion occurred 300 meters below the surface, and three tunnels, each about one kilometer long, were believed to be where the missing workers might be. Some underground passages have been reduced to rubble or flooded, making access impossible for rescuers, and it was believed that the missing were trapped in these areas, the report said.
To ensure medical care for the injured miners, the National Health Commission said on Saturday that it has organized health officials and multidisciplinary experts to guide treatment efforts.
Vigilance urged
The National Mine Safety Administration has instructed local authorities to implement a recently issued notice on strengthening training for coal mine workers and eliminating safety hazards.
The mine safety administration of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region has sent task forces to inspect all active high-gas mines and address violations such as inadequate gas drainage, operations under excessive gas concentrations, and falsification of monitoring data.
Yunnan province has also urged coal producers and supervisors to maintain vigilance and conduct round-the-clock monitoring.
Guo, the head of the Qinyuan county government, said the accident exposed "serious loopholes and weaknesses" in local governance, including workplace safety supervision, risk identification and rectification, and the fulfillment of corporate responsibilities.
He said the next phase of work would focus on verifying information, communicating with families of the deceased and injured, handling compensation, meeting families' daily needs and conducting forensic examinations.
Authorities will verify the identities, backgrounds, family relationships and household conditions of the victims to ensure accuracy.
"We had gone down more than 400 meters at the time," rescued miner Zhang Taosuo recalled while describing the moment the explosion occurred at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county, Shanxi province on Friday night. He said everything seemed normal before the accident and that there were no warning signs. The blast left him with head injuries. The first thing Zhang did after arriving at the hospital was call his family to let them know he was safe.
When I reached the road leading to the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county, Shanxi province, around noon on Saturday, it had already been sealed off.
Ambulances waited nearby. Rescue vehicles rushed in and out. Police cordons marked the boundary between the outside world and a rescue operation unfolding deep underground — in tunnels rendered extremely dangerous by cave-ins, flooding and toxic gases.
A huge explosion rocked the coal mine at 7:29 pm on Friday. As of Saturday night, local authorities confirmed that 82 people had been killed and two remained unaccounted for. A total of 128 people were injured and taken to hospitals for treatment.
For rescuers at the site, every descent into the mine shaft was driven by one hope — to find signs of life.
Among those helping in the aftermath of the disaster is 54-year-old Guang Xinhai, head of the Shanxi Huayang mine rescue squad, one of China's national-level mine emergency rescue teams. Guang, who has more than three decades of experience in mine rescues, described the operation as exceptionally difficult.
After receiving the call late on Friday, Guang and his 67-member team set out for Qinyuan overnight and arrived at the site in the early hours of Saturday.
"We searched for more than eight straight hours, checking every possible corner," Guang said after coming out of the mine on Saturday. "We want to hold on to every little hope of life and bring the miners out as soon as possible."
Near the mine entrance, rescue personnel waited for their turn to descend to the affected area. As soon as one team returned above ground, another made its way down. Some rescuers, their faces blackened with coal dust, rested briefly on the open ground before heading for the next round of efforts.
One rescuer, still covered in dust after emerging from the shaft, said it was the largest rescue operation he had ever joined.
"As long as there is hope, we will make every possible effort," he said.
The difficult circumstances could be fathomed from the equipment being sent underground. Rubber boats, waterproof suits and other supplies were rushed into the mine to deal with flooded sections of the tunnel. Officials said the presence of toxic gases inside the mine shaft posed the risk of secondary disasters.
Villagers living nearby recalled hearing a loud explosion on Friday evening. Some miners managed to escape on their own, but others were not so lucky. Several survivors later spoke of thick dust and a deafening noise when the accident took place.
A retired miner who once worked at the mine had also rushed to the site. Familiar with the underground layout, he hoped his knowledge could help the rescue teams.
"I really did not want to see an accident like this happen," he said.
Rescue work continues at the site. Teams of rescue personnel are working around the clock in shifts and equipment is being sent to support the search.
"My greatest wish now is that the miners return home safely," said Guang, the rescuer.
His team has deployed robots underground to improve search efficiency and rescue safety.
Luo Wangshu in Beijing contributed to this story.
The People's Hospital in Qinyuan county, North China's Shanxi province, is currently treating 43 survivors of the Liushenyu coal mine explosion for minor injuries, while psychological counseling services are also being offered to those affected. Zhao Caihong, vice-president of the hospital, provided more detail in an interview with China Daily.
An injury treatment site for survivors of the Liushenyu coal mine explosion has been established at a local hospital in Qinyuan county, Changzhi city, North China's Shanxi province.
Reporters visiting the site on Sunday learned that the hospital is currently treating 43 patients with minor injuries, while psychological counseling services are also being offered to those affected.
The gas explosion at the mine, which occurred on Friday, resulted in the deaths of at least 82 people. Zhang Taosuo, 47, and his colleagues were working about 400 meters away from the mine entrance when the explosion occurred. The explosion left him with a head injury, while he also suffered toxic gas inhalation. Zhang was transferred to hospital for treatment shortly after the accident, where his injuries have since been confirmed as minor in nature.
TAIYUAN -- All-out rescues are still underway to reach the two people who remained unaccounted for following a deadly coal mine accident in North China's Shanxi province.
A gas explosion hit the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county of Changzhi city at 7:29 pm on Friday. A total of 82 people were confirmed dead and two remained missing, said Chen Xiangyang, mayor of Changzhi, at a press conference held on Saturday night.
A total of 128 people were injured and are receiving treatment at hospitals, including two in critical condition and two in serious condition, according to Chen.
Officials at the press conference attributed the initial inaccurate figures to chaos at the scene and the company's failure to provide the accurate headcount of workers on duty.
The company involved in the explosion was found with "serious violations of laws" after an initial investigation. Those responsible for the company have been placed under control, and the company's coal mines have ceased production for a safety overhaul, said the mayor.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, has urged all-out rescue of the missing and treatment of the injured and demanded a thorough investigation, with accountability pursued in accordance with the law.
Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing has led a team to the site to oversee the rescue efforts and the handling of the accident's aftermath.
The province has sent 755 people including rescuers and medical personnel to the site. The Ministry of Emergency Management earlier said it had dispatched six national mine emergency rescue teams, totaling 345 people, to assist in rescue efforts.
On Saturday evening, multiple rescue teams are taking turns going down the shaft. Near the mine entrance, a professional rescue team had just risen from underground when another team stood ready to descend.
"As long as there is hope, we will make every possible effort," one rescuer told Xinhua.
Rescuers said the mission remained difficult due to cave-ins and flooding in the tunnels.
Officials at the press conference also said toxic and harmful gases under the mine shaft have exceeded safe limits for a long time, posing a risk of secondary disasters.
A doctor from Licheng county, about 130 km away from Qinyuan county, said they received the order at 4 am and immediately rushed to the scene with equipment and medicine. Currently, together with other medical rescue teams, they remain on standby at the site.
"If any survivors are brought up, they will receive timely treatment without delay," the doctor said.
The National Health Commission has organized remote consultations by medical experts in Beijing. Respiratory, burning and orthopedic specialists from two Beijing hospitals have also been dispatched to the scene.
The 124 people with minor injuries have all been transferred to major hospitals for close observation and treatment. The severely and critically injured people are under tailored treatment developed by medical expert teams.
Several survivors recalled thick dust and deafening roars at the time of the accident. Many miners collapsed before they could even react.
"At first, I thought it was a routine blasting operation," said one survivor, Li Shibing. He did not realize it was a gas explosion until his coworker was overcome with dizziness. They immediately activated their portable self-rescue devices and fled the mine.
"MUST LEARN LESSONS"
An investigation team sent by China's State Council has vowed to thoroughly and strictly investigate the accident.
In his instructions issued on Saturday, Xi stressed that authorities across the country must learn lessons from the accident, remain vigilant on workplace safety, and intensify efforts to identify and eliminate potential risks in order to prevent major accidents.
China's National Mine Safety Administration has instructed local authorities to implement a recently issued notice on enhancing training for coal mine workers and rooting out safety hazards.
The mine safety administration of North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region has sent special task forces to investigate all active high-gas mines and address potential violations such as inadequate gas drainage, operations under excessive gas concentrations, and falsification of monitoring data.
Southwest China's Yunnan province has demanded that coal producers and supervision personnel maintain vigilance and carry out round-the-clock monitoring.
Local officials in Shanxi province said on Saturday night that a preliminary investigation had found major legal violations by the coal mine company involved in a Friday gas explosion that killed at least 82 people.
The explosion occurred at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county, Changzhi city, North China's Shanxi province. The mine is operated by Shanxi Tongzhou Group, a local private enterprise.
Changzhi Mayor Chen Xiangyang said at a news conference in Qinyuan on Saturday night that the company's actual controllers, persons in charge and other relevant personnel had been taken into custody in accordance with the law. He added that the specific cause of the accident remains under investigation.
As of around 10 pm on Saturday, the accident had killed 82 people, with two others still missing, Chen said. A total of 128 injured people were receiving treatment in hospitals, while 35 others who were uninjured had returned home on their own.
The mayor apologized to the public, as well as to the victims, the injured and their families, and expressed deep condolences to those who lost their lives in the accident.
Guo Xiaofang, head of the Qinyuan county government, also apologized at the news conference, saying that chaotic conditions at the scene and the company's unclear count of workers on duty had led to inaccurate initial figures.
"This accident caused heavy casualties. It is extremely serious in nature and the lesson is painfully profound," Chen said.
He said authorities would spare no effort and no cost in searching for the missing, while doing everything possible to treat the injured.
The investigation would be carried out in a fact-based and scientific manner to further determine the cause of the accident, Chen said.
"We must give the victims, their families and the public a responsible explanation," he said.
Guo said the accident had exposed "serious loopholes and weaknesses" in key areas of local governance, including workplace safety supervision, the identification and rectification of risks and hidden dangers, and the fulfillment of companies' primary responsibilities.
He said the next phase of work would focus on verifying information, communicating with families of the dead and injured, handling compensation, meeting families' daily needs, and conducting forensic examinations.
Authorities will carefully verify the identities, backgrounds, family relationships and household conditions of the dead and injured to ensure the accuracy of information, Guo said.
They will also immediately provide emotional support and psychological counseling to family members, and steadily advance the calculation, negotiation and payment of compensation, he said.
Special attention will be given to helping elderly people living alone, the weak, the sick, families in difficulty and other vulnerable relatives, Guo said.
All 128 people injured in a coal mine explosion in North China's Shanxi province are now in stable condition, including four patients who were previously in serious or critical condition, a local health official said on Saturday night.
Guo Junzhi, head of the health commission of Changzhi city, said at a news conference that the 124 patients with mild injuries had been transferred to tertiary hospitals for observation and treatment.
He said the two severe patients and two critical cases have each received targeted treatment plans developed by dedicated expert teams to reduce the risk of mortality, and all four are now in stable condition with no life-threatening risks.
Under the guidance of national-level and provincial-level expert teams, continued efforts will be made to refine treatment plans and provide follow-up care and rehabilitation, as well as psychological counselling. Professional teams will also be arranged to offer counselling, care and emotional support services, he added.
As of around 10:30 pm Saturday, 82 people had been confirmed dead following the blast at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county in Shanxi's Changzhi city, China Media Group reported. Two people remain missing.
The National Health Commission said on Saturday that it has organized health officials and multidisciplinary medical experts to guide treatment for people injured in a coal mine blast in northern China's Shanxi province.
Senior officials from the commission have been dispatched to guide on-site rescue and medical treatment efforts.
Three medical specialists in respiratory and intensive care, burns, and orthopedic trauma from Peking Union Medical College Hospital and Beijing Jishuitan Hospital have also been sent to provide on-the-ground medical support.
Experts from leading hospitals specializing in trauma care, intensive care and respiratory care have been mobilized to provide remote consultations.
As of 2 pm Saturday, 82 people had been confirmed dead following the blast at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county in Shanxi's Changzhi city, China Media Group reported.
The Health Commission of Shanxi Province has mobilized 17 specialists from top medical institutions within the province. Meanwhile, Changzhi city has deployed 86 ambulances to ensure all-out efforts in medical treatment.
Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing on Saturday called for all-out search and rescue efforts and a thorough investigation into the cause of a Friday gas explosion at a coal mine in North China's Shanxi province that killed dozens of people.
Zhang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, urged further safety inspections and rectification in key sectors across the country, including coal mines and hazardous chemicals, according to China Media Group.
As of 2 pm Saturday, 82 people had been confirmed dead following the gas explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county, Shanxi, Xinhua reported.
The senior official led a working group to the site of the gas explosion on Saturday to guide emergency response work.
He convened a meeting at the on-site command center to arrange work on rescue and medical treatment, victim support and aftermath handling, and accident investigation.
Zhang stressed the need to mobilize professional forces to carry out scientific search and rescue operations with all-out efforts, while preventing secondary casualties. The number of missing people must be verified, and no one should be left unaccounted for, he said.
He also called for organizing high-level medical experts to provide careful treatment for the injured and minimize disabilities caused by injuries.
Zhang said support and follow-up work for affected families should be carried out in a "solid and meticulous" manner, while information should be released in a timely and accurate way to respond to public concerns.
He urged the State Council investigation team to conduct a "tough and uncompromising" investigation, thoroughly identify the cause of the accident, and determine responsibilities related to local management, industry supervision and the company involved, with severe punishment imposed in accordance with laws and regulations.
The Office of the State Council Work Safety Commission and local authorities should immediately make further arrangements for safety inspections and rectification in key sectors, including coal mines and hazardous chemicals, Zhang said.
He also emphasized strictly enforcing regulations and strengthening coordination between administrative law enforcement and criminal justice.
A "tough and uncompromising" investigation will be carried out by China's central government into the gas explosion that occurred at a coal mine in Shanxi province on Friday and killed dozens of people, Xinhua News Agency reported on Saturday evening.
As of 2 pm Saturday, 82 people had been confirmed dead following the gas explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county, according to Xinhua.
The accident investigation team, led by the State Council, China's Cabinet, will make rigorous efforts to determine the cause of the accident, clarify responsibilities in local management, industry supervision and corporate operations, and impose strict penalties in accordance with laws and regulations, the Xinhua report said.
All regions and relevant departments have been urged to conduct a comprehensive review of the implementation of mine safety measures and to crack down hard on illegal and rule-breaking operations, it said.
Authorities were also required to carry out strict investigations and impose punishments over problems including concealed working faces in coal mines, falsification of safety monitoring data, unclear numbers of underground workers, and illegal subcontracting or contract transfers, according to the report.
A total of 755 rescue and medical workers from seven teams in Shanxi province have been dispatched to the scene where a gas explosion occurred in a Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county, Shanxi on Friday, local authorities said.???
As of 2 pm Saturday, 82 people have been confirmed dead,?Xinhua reported.
The emergency response authority in Qinyuan county said 123 people had been sent to hospitals for treatment, including two in critical condition and two in serious condition, as of 2 pm Saturday, Xinhua News Agency reported on Saturday afternoon. Additionally, 33 others had returned home.
China Media Group citing a local doctor reported on Saturday afternoon that the injured were mainly affected by toxic gas. Psychologists have also been providing counseling to the injured, the report said.
The actual controllers and persons in charge of the company running the coal mine have been taken into custody in accordance with the law.
BEIJING - China has dispatched six national mine emergency rescue teams, totaling 345 personnel with equipment, to assist in rescue efforts following a coal mine gas explosion in Qinyuan county, North China's Shanxi province, the Ministry of Emergency Management said on Saturday.
The gas explosion occurred at the Liushenyu coal mine on Friday. The death toll has risen to 82. Rescue efforts are ongoing.
The death toll from a fatal coal mine gas explosion in North China's Shanxi province has risen to 82 and rescue efforts are ongoing, Xinhua reported.
Individuals in charge of the company involved have been taken into custody by law enforcement, according to the rescue headquarters.
A total of 247 workers were underground when the accident occurred at 7:29 pm on Friday at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county, Changzhi.
As of 6:00 am on Saturday, 201 miners had been safely brought to the surface.
