At least 90 people have died in a coal mine explosion in northern China, according to state media in the country. The gas explosion occurred at the Liushenyu Coal Mine, operated by Tongzhou Group, in Shaanxi Province.
Hundreds of rescue workers have been sent to the scene. State media footage showed paramedics carrying stretchers at the scene, with ambulances in the background. Rescue operations are ongoing at the scene. The explosion occurred at 19:29 p.m. local time yesterday at a coal mine in Shaanxi, with 247 workers on duty at the time of the incident.
China's Ministry of Emergency Management has sent 345 people in six rescue teams to assist in the rescue operation.
After the incident, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for no effort to be spared in treating the injured and searching for survivors. He also asked the government to investigate the cause of the accident and hold those responsible accountable.
Officials running the coal mine have been detained, according to state media. The cause of the gas explosion has not yet been determined, but state media reported that levels of carbon monoxide, a highly toxic, odorless gas, in the mine were "exceeded."
In the early 2000s, fatal accidents were common in China's coal mining industry, but in recent years safety standards have been tightened.
