Qinyuan, China, 23 May 2026
A gas explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine in Shanxi Province, northern China, has left at least 82 miners dead and 120 injured, making it the country's deadliest mining disaster in 17 years.
Updated May 23, 2026: The death toll from a gas explosion in the Liushenyu coal mine in northern China has surged to 82, with 120 miners injured, as rescue operations continue into the night more than 20 hours after the blast.
A gas explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine in Shanxi Province, northern China, has left at least 82 miners dead and 120 injured, making it the country's deadliest mining disaster in 17 years.
What's new since earlier today
Earlier official accounts had put the number of dead at eight, with 201 people rescued, but as rescuers pushed deeper into the mine, the scope of the tragedy expanded dramatically.
Local authorities announced late Saturday that they had confirmed 82 fatalities and 120 hospitalized, revising the figure down from an earlier CCTV report that had mentioned 90 dead.
The rescue operation has swelled to around 750 personnel, according to state media, and continues under high-risk conditions because of dangerously high carbon monoxide levels inside the shafts.
President Xi Jinping was quoted by Xinhua as instructing officials to spare no effort — 'keine Mühen zu scheuen' — in the rescue and medical treatment of the injured, while also demanding a 'gründliche Untersuchung' (thorough investigation) into the disaster.
Authorities have detained a 'responsible person' from the mining company, Xinhua reported, stating the individual was taken into custody 'gemäß den gesetzlichen Bestimmungen' (according to legal regulations).
Deadliest since 2009
The Liushenyu disaster is the most lethal mining accident in China since 2009, when an explosion at a coal mine in Heilongjiang province killed 108 people.
China has dramatically improved mine safety over the past decade, but accidents still occur, particularly in coal-rich regions like Shanxi, which accounts for roughly one-quarter of the country’s coal output.
Mine details and methane risk
The Liushenyu mine consists of six shafts and has an annual production capacity of 1.2 million tons. According to Chinese reports, highly flammable methane gas was present when the explosion occurred on the evening of the accident.
Xinhua said 247 miners were underground at the time. Initially, 157 were brought to the surface, four of them dead, while 90 others remained trapped amid perilously high carbon monoxide readings.
Survivor Wang recalled, 'Ich lag etwa eine Stunde dort und bin von selbst wieder aufgewacht' (I lay there for about an hour and woke up again by myself), describing the chaos after the blast.
Rescue and medical response
More than 750 emergency workers have been deployed, and over 120 injured miners have been hospitalized, with four in life-threatening condition, according to CCTV.
Medical teams are prioritizing those with severe gas poisoning and blast injuries. Officials have promised that no effort will be spared in treatment, echoing Xi's order.
Accountability and safety lessons
Xi also warned that all parties must 'Lehren aus diesem Unfall ziehen' (learn lessons from this accident) and 'stets wachsam bleiben' (remain ever vigilant) regarding workplace safety, Xinhua reported.
The detention of a company official signals a swift accountability push, though many details about the mine's safety protocols remain unclear.
Previous accidents
The previous major accident occurred in early 2023, when a mine collapse in the Inner Mongolia region killed 53 people, according to state media.
Despite a steady decline in mining fatalities — from thousands annually in the 2000s to fewer than 200 in recent years — the latest tragedy underscores lingering safety challenges in the world's largest coal producer.