At Least 90 Killed in China Coal Mine Gas Explosion

At least 90 people have been killed in a gas explosion at a coal mine in northern China’s Shanxi province, in the country’s worst mining disaster in 17 years. The blast occurred on Friday evening at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan County, operated by Shanxi Tongzhou Group, while 247 workers were underground, according to BBC News.

The Incident

The explosion took place at 19:29 local time on May 22, 2026, when an underground carbon monoxide sensor was triggered. State media reported that carbon monoxide levels in the mine had “exceeded limits.” The exact cause of the gas explosion remains under investigation, according to The Guardian.

Wang Yong, an injured survivor, told state broadcaster CCTV that he smelled sulphur and saw people collapsing from fumes before losing consciousness. “I lay there for about an hour or so before I came round on my own. I woke up the person next to me and we got out together,” he recounted.

Rescue and Medical Response

A massive rescue operation was launched immediately. China’s Ministry of Emergency Management dispatched 345 personnel from six national mine rescue teams, while a total of 755 emergency and medical personnel were mobilized. Changzhi city deployed 86 ambulances to the scene.

At least 123 people were taken to hospital, with 33 discharged by Saturday afternoon. As of Saturday, 27 remained hospitalized, with one in critical condition. The National Health Commission sent multidisciplinary experts from Beijing hospitals, including Peking Union Medical College Hospital and Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, to assist with treatment.

Government Response

President Xi Jinping called for authorities to “spare no effort” in treating the injured and conducting search and rescue operations, while ordering a thorough investigation into the cause and accountability. Premier Li Qiang echoed the instructions, calling for timely and accurate release of information and rigorous accountability.

According to state media, at least one person responsible for the company has been “placed under control in accordance with the law”—a term that typically signifies detention.

Prior Safety Concerns

The Liushenyu mine had a troubled safety record. In 2024, it was listed by China’s National Mine Safety Administration as one of 1,128 mines with “severe safety hazards,” specifically flagged for high gas levels. Tongzhou Group, which operates the mine, received two administrative penalties in 2025 for safety issues, as reported by Global Times.

Historical Context

This disaster is the deadliest mining accident in China since 2009, when an explosion in Heilongjiang province killed more than 100 people. China has significantly reduced coal mine fatalities since the early 2000s through stricter regulations and the closure of illegal mines. However, major accidents continue to occur.

In 2023, a collapse at an open-pit coal mine in Inner Mongolia killed 53 people. In 2020, carbon monoxide poisoning in a Chongqing mine killed 23. Shanxi province, one of China’s poorer regions, produces nearly a third of the country’s raw coal output.

Broader Implications

The disaster comes just days after high-profile visits by US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to China, drawing international attention to the country’s industrial safety record. The incident has renewed questions about whether China’s coal production demands are undermining safety enforcement.

As China remains the world’s largest coal consumer and greenhouse gas emitter—even as it rapidly expands renewable energy capacity—the tragedy highlights the persistent human cost of the country’s reliance on coal.

What to Watch

Investigators are working to determine the exact cause of the explosion. The death toll may rise further as rescue operations continue. The case will test whether China’s safety enforcement mechanisms can deliver accountability and whether this disaster will prompt broader regulatory reforms in the mining industry.

This article was compiled from reports by BBC News, The Guardian, CCTV, Xinhua News Agency, and Global Times.