A gas explosion occurred in a coal mine in China’s Shanxi province killing 82 people. The incident occurred at 7:29 pm on Friday according to Xinhua news agency. 247 people were in the mine at the time of the accident, most of whom were rescued till Saturday morning.
Chinese Ministry of Emergency Management has deployed 6 national rescue mine teams at the explosion site comprising 345 personnel equipped with the required gear for the rescue mission.
President Xi’s statement
Chinese President Xi Jinping demanded that every effort be made to treat the injured and look for survivors after the catastrophe.
Additionally, he requested that the government look into the accident’s cause and penalise those accountable. State media reports that those in charge of the coal mine have been arrested. The quantities of carbon monoxide, a very poisonous, odourless gas, were found to have “exceeded limits” in the mine, according to official media, but the source of the gas explosion has not yet been identified.
History of coal-mining accidents
In the previous decades, coal mining accidents were commonplace in China. But in the recent years, safety protocols were improved and the number of accidents signficantly reduced. Shanxi is one of China’s poorer province and is the coal-mining capital of the country but the province still lacks behind in ensuring safety and security of its citizens.
Officias from Shanxi province are actively working for on-site rescue operations and arranging medical treatment for the injured. However, the death toll is still not confirmed and rescue efforts are underway.
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