At least 90 people have died in a gas explosion at a coal mine in northeastern China, according to the latest toll announced today, with President Xi Jinping pledging that “lessons will be learned” from the deadliest mine accident in the country in nearly 17 years.
A total of 247 workers were at this coal mine, in Lushengyu, when the explosion occurred late yesterday (local time), according to state-run news agency New China (Xinhua).
Most had been rescued by this morning but at least 90 people had died, according to the same source, who did not specify whether any were still missing.
The emergency services have sent 345 members to the scene. Images broadcast on state television show rescuers in helmets carrying stretchers and several ambulances.
The mine is located some 500 kilometers southwest of Beijing, in Shanxi province, the epicenter of coal mining in China.
Coal mine accidents are common but this time it is the deadliest since November 2009, when a gas explosion at a mine in Heilongjiang killed 108 people.
Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier ordered “all means” to be mobilised to care for the injured and called for an in-depth investigation into the accident.
See said authorities should “learn lessons from this incident (…), remain permanently vigilant on occupational safety (…) and prevent and deter such major and catastrophic accidents.”
According to New China News Agency, authorities have detained executives of the company responsible for the mine.
Work safety in Chinese mines is thought to have improved in recent decades, thanks to a series of measures taken by authorities. Nevertheless, accidents remain frequent in this area of activity, as the application of safety protocols is often described as too lax.
The Asian powerhouse ranks first in the world in CO2 emissions, as well as in consumption of coal, a raw material considered a more reliable solution compared to renewables due to intermittent supply.
