SHANXI, China — A gas explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine in northern China killed at least 90 people on Friday, May 23, state media reported Saturday, while rescue operations continued in Shanxi province where 247 workers were underground at the time of the blast.
The explosion occurred at 7:29 p.m. local time at the Liushenyu coal mine, according to the state news agency Xinhua. State broadcaster CCTV reported that at least 90 people died and 123 others were taken to hospitals, including four in critical or severe condition.
CCTV said 33 of those hospitalized had been discharged by Saturday afternoon. Authorities dispatched about 755 emergency and medical personnel to the site to assist with rescue and recovery efforts.
Survivor Wang Yong told CCTV that he smelled sulfur and saw smoke after the explosion. He said he lost consciousness and later regained awareness underground before exiting the mine with others.
Video released by CCTV showed rescuers wearing helmets and carrying stretchers at the site, with ambulances stationed nearby as operations continued.
Xinhua reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered efforts to treat the injured and called for an investigation into the incident. He also instructed authorities to strengthen workplace safety measures and prevent similar accidents.
Authorities said a person responsible for the company involved in the explosion has been placed under control under the law, according to Xinhua.
Initial reports from state media said carbon monoxide levels in the mine exceeded safety limits and that some workers were trapped underground. The reported death toll increased as rescue operations progressed.
The explosion marks the deadliest mining disaster in China since 2009, when 108 people died in a mine explosion in Heilongjiang province.
Mine safety in China has improved in recent decades, but accidents continue to occur in the coal industry, particularly in major mining regions such as Shanxi.
