BBC at the site of China's worst mining disaster in more than a decade

At least 82 people have been killed after a gas explosion at the Liushenyu mine in China.

A gas explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine in Shanxi Province, China, resulted in at least 82 fatalities, marking the country's deadliest mining accident in recent years. Rescue efforts are ongoing, with two miners still missing and dozens hospitalized due to toxic gas exposure. Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered a thorough investigation and accountability, with local officials revealing that the mine had violated regulations, leading to the detention of several responsible individuals. The incident has prompted a province-wide safety inspection of coal mines in Shanxi, China's primary coal-mining region, which produces nearly one-third of the nation's coal. Despite ongoing efforts to improve safety in the sector, mining accidents remain a concern in China.

An aerial drone photo taken on May 23, 2026 shows a scene at the rescue site of the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan County, north China's Shanxi Province. All-out rescues are still underway to reach the two people who remained unaccounted for following a deadly coal mine accident in north China's Shanxi Province. A gas explosion hit the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan County of Changzhi City at 7:29 p.m. on Friday. A total of 82 people were confirmed dead and two remained missing, said Chen Xiangyang, mayor of Changzhi, at a press conference held on Saturday night. A total of 128 people were injured and are receiving treatment at hospitals, including two in critical condition and two in serious condition, according to Chen. Officials at the press conference attributed the initial inaccurate figures to chaos at the scene and the company's failure to provide the accurate headcount of workers on duty.

A gas explosion at a coal mine in China has killed 82 people, in the country’s deadliest mining accident in recent years. State media Xinhua said 247 workers had been on duty underground when the blast ripped through the Liushenyu mine in Qinyuan county, Shanxi province, on Friday. President Xi Jinping has called on authorities nationwide to learn from the incident.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged emergency responders to double down on rescue efforts after a gas explosion in a coal mine in northern China on Friday killed at least 82 people. The blast occurred underground at around 7:30 pm at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county, China's Xinhua state news agency reported. The death toll rose rapidly on Saturday, and two people are reportedly still missing. Xinhua said 247 workers had been underground at the time. Xi has called for an "all-out rescue of the missing and treatment of the injured," as well as an investigation into the incident, per Xinhua. It added that a person "responsible for" the company involved in the explosion has been "placed under control in accordance with the law". Six emergency rescue teams consisting of 345 personnel have since been sent to the scene, the outlet said on Saturday.