At least 90 dead in mine explosion in northern China

(Patria) - At least 90 people have died in a coal mine explosion in northern China, state media reported, according to BBC.

"Journalists learned at the scene of the accident that a gas explosion in the Liushenyu coal mine, belonging to the Tongzhou group in Shanxi Province, claimed 90 lives," the state news agency Xinhua reported.

The explosion occurred last night at 7:29 PM local time in a coal mine in Shanxi Province, and according to reports, 247 workers were on duty at the time of the accident.

Rescue operations are ongoing at the scene, and the cause of the explosion is still under investigation, Xinhua reported.

Death toll has risen to 82 after a coal mine accident in Qinyuan County, north China's Shanxi Province. pic.twitter.com/o9CM6MewlX

— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) May 23, 2026

The same agency previously reported that the carbon monoxide level had "exceeded permissible limits" inside the Liushenyu coal mine in the city of Changzhi.

Coal remains a key energy source in China, despite efforts in recent years to gradually move away from fossil fuels.

Shanxi Province is one of China's main coal-producing centers and home to a mining industry with a notoriously poor safety record.

Thousands of similar accidents have occurred in the province in recent years.

Chinese President Xi Jinping had previously "demanded a thorough investigation into the cause of the accident and the determination of responsibility in accordance with the law.".