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A gas explosion at a coal mine in China has killed at least 82 people. It is the country’s deadliest mining disaster in 17 years, since a 2009 gas explosion in Heilongjiang that claimed about 100 lives. After President Xi Jinping ordered a full investigation, the reported death toll rose sharply, fueling suspicions that local officials initially concealed the true scale of the disaster. President Lee Jae-myung posted a message of condolence, saying, “I extend my deepest sympathy and comfort to the bereaved families and the people of China.”
Chinese-language outlets, including Taiwan’s Central News Agency and Lianhe Zaobao, reported on May 24 that the gas explosion struck the underground workings of a coal mine in Qinyuan County, Changzhi City, Shanxi Province at 7:29 p.m. local time on the 22nd, and raised those concerns.
This is the worst mining-related accident in China since the November 2009 coal-mine gas explosion in Heilongjiang, which killed roughly 100 people.
Qinyuan County authorities initially said that, as of 6 a.m. the following morning, 201 of the 247 workers who had been underground at the time had been brought safely to the surface; they reported eight deaths and ongoing rescue efforts for 38 people still in the tunnels. But after President Xi ordered a thorough investigation into the cause and strict accountability, and Premier Li Qiang instructed officials to release information quickly and accurately, the reported death toll climbed within hours to as many as 90 before being revised to 82.
At a 10:30 p.m. press briefing the previous night, Changzhi Mayor Chen Xiangyang put the toll at 82 dead, 2 missing and 128 injured. Of the injured, 124 sustained minor injuries, 2 were seriously hurt and 2 were in critical condition. Lianhe Zaobao noted that some observers suspect the initial claim that 201 of the 247 people were safely evacuated may have been false or a cover-up. The local paper Huashang asked, “The public has a right to know why the death toll suddenly rose from 8 to 90. What happened in that interval?”
Answering those concerns, a Qinyuan County official told reporters that the site was chaotic immediately after the blast and that unclear company staffing records led to an inaccurate initial headcount.
Authorities say the mining company committed serious legal violations and have arrested those deemed responsible. Robots and other equipment are being used to continue search operations while investigators work to determine the precise cause of the accident.
President Lee Jae-myung issued a condolence message, posting on X (formerly Twitter): “I cannot contain my sorrow and sadness at the news of the large-scale loss of life in the coal-mine gas explosion in Shanxi Province. I extend my deepest sympathy and comfort to the bereaved families and the people of China.” He added that he hopes Chinese authorities will resolve the situation swiftly, that those who lost their lives may rest in peace, and that all the injured make a full recovery.
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