Tragic accident in China. There was an explosion at the Liushesnyu coal mine, which is located 500 kilometers southwest of Beijing. At the time of the blast, 247 people were working inside. The body recovery operations are underway, but the death toll is becoming more and more dramatic by the minute. The latest update is that over 80 people have lost their lives, but there are still missing.
#UPDATE The death toll from a fatal coal mine gas explosion in North China’s Shanxi province has risen to 82, with another nine people missing, local authorities said on Saturday. (Video: Xinhua) https://t.co/EDNoiqW3Ys https://t.co/DRyAyQbJXB pic.twitter.com/yD2Di30RV9
— China Daily (@ChinaDaily) May 23, 2026
The explosion
The explosion occurred on May 22 at the Liushenyu coal mine, in the Shanxi province in Qinyuan county.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called on authorities to “spare no effort” in treating the injured and carrying out search and rescue operations. He announced at the same time a thorough investigation into the causes of the accident and “a rigorous assumption of responsibility in accordance with the law”.
The authorities have not yet provided details on the circumstances of the explosion, but according to the Xinhua agency an official of the company that owns the mine has been arrested
Coal mines, which supply China with about 60% of its energy needs, continue to have a high accident rate. Liushenyu is certainly one of the most serious events to have occurred in China in the last decade. In fact, since the beginning of 2000, more rigorous safety regulations have been adopted to prevent accidents.