Coal mine accident in China leaves at least 8 dead.

VTV.vn - At least eight people have died and dozens remain trapped underground after a gas explosion at a coal mine in Qin Yuan County, Shanxi Province, northern China, on the evening of May 22.

Scenes from the Liu Chenwu coal mine rescue operation in Qin Yuan County, Changzhi City, Shanxi Province, northern China, May 23, 2026 (Photo: Xinhua/Yonhap)

According to a notice from the Qinyuan County Emergency Management Agency, at 7:27 PM local time on May 22nd, a gas explosion occurred at the Liushenwu coal mine operated by Shanxi Tongzhou Group in Qinyuan County. According to a notice released on the morning of May 23rd, a total of 247 workers were working underground at the time of the coal mine accident.

Following the coal mine accident, local authorities immediately made arrangements and deployed resources, quickly activating the emergency response mechanism and arriving at the scene to direct rescue operations.

Authorities are urgently deploying rescue efforts under conditions where toxic gas levels exceed safe limits.

(Image: OpenStreetMap)

As of 6:00 AM on May 23rd, 201 people had been brought to the surface safely, and 8 miners had been confirmed dead. Emergency search and rescue operations for the 38 miners still trapped underground are ongoing.

The cause of the coal mine accident is under investigation.

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for every effort to treat the injured and demanded a thorough investigation into the incident, according to Xinhua news agency. President Xi Jinping stressed that all regions and departments must learn from this coal mine accident, remain vigilant about workplace safety, and resolutely prevent and curb the recurrence of major and catastrophic mining accidents.

Area near a coal mine in Shanxi province, China's coal mining capital (Photo: AFP)

Earlier, Xinhua News Agency reported that the concentration of carbon monoxide – a toxic, odorless gas – had exceeded limits at the coal mine. Several people trapped underground were in critical condition.

Shanxi, one of China's poorest provinces, is the country's coal mining capital.

Mine safety in China has improved in recent decades. However, mine accidents still occur in an industry where safety procedures are often lax.

China is the world's largest consumer of coal and the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, despite Beijing's record-breaking pace of renewable energy development.

Source: https://vtv.vn/tai-nan-mo-than-o-trung-quoc-it-nhat-8-nguoi-thiet-mang-100260523112438165.htm