China Revises Coal Mine Explosion Death Toll
Chinese authorities lowered the death toll from the gas explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine to 82 from the initial 90 people on Sunday, as search-and-rescue operations continued.
Footage shows emergency workers descending into the mine, with a robot equipped with gas sensors and a real-time camera also deployed to survey the incident site.
“An emergency rescue command centre was established, comprising a comprehensive coordination group, a rescue and relief group, an expert technical group, a medical treatment group, a social stability group, an emergency support group, a publicity and reporting group, and a post-disaster management group,” stated the mayor of Changzhi City, Chen Xiangyang.
Hundreds Involved In Emergency Response Effort
According to the latest figures, 35 people were uninjured, 128 hospitalised, many suffering from toxic gas inhalation and two in critical condition, while two remain missing.
247 workers underground were on duty when the blast set off at 19:29 local time (23:29 GMT).
A total of 775 medical staff members and rescuers and 86 ambulances were deployed for the emergency operation.
Officials responsible for the Liushenyu coal mine operated by Shanxi Tongzhou Coal Coking Group were detained, and all four of the company’s mines have been closed.
Xi Jinping Orders Thorough Investigation
The explosion at Liushenyu is one of the deadliest in the country in the last decade, after over 100 people lost their lives in a mine incident in Heilongjiang in 2009.
Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered a thorough investigation into the accident, calling for an ‘all-out effort’ to treat the injured and conduct search-and-rescue operations.
In 2024, the Liushenyu mine was listed as disaster-prone by China’s National Mine Safety Administration for having ‘high gas content’.
Article by Viory
