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  "path": "/news/2002487/china-coal-mine-blast-kills-at-least-90-more-missing",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-23T06:41:58.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.dawn.com",
  "tags": [
    "World",
    "reported",
    "collapse",
    "killed"
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  "textContent": "A gas explosion at a coal mine in northern China has killed at least 90 people, state media reported on Saturday, in one of the country’s biggest industrial disasters of recent years.\n\nThe blast occurred at 7:29pm on Friday at the Liushenyu coal mine in Shanxi province, according to state news agency _Xinhua_.\n\nA total of 247 workers were underground at the time, most of whom were brought to the surface by Saturday morning, _Xinhua_ said.\n\nBut the agency confirmed later that at least 82 people had died, adding that rescuers were still searching “intensively” for nine people who remained unaccounted for.\n\n> Footage published by state broadcaster CCTV showed helmeted rescuers carrying stretchers at the site, with ambulances visible in the background.\n\nPresident Xi Jinping urged “all-out efforts” to treat the injured and called for thorough investigations into the incident, _Xinhua_ said.\n\nHe “emphasised that all regions and departments must draw lessons from this accident, remain constantly vigilant regarding workplace safety… and resolutely prevent and curb the occurrence of major and catastrophic accidents”.\n\n> A person “responsible for” the company involved in the explosion has been “placed under control in accordance with the law”, _Xinhua_ said.\n\nState media initially reported four deaths and dozens trapped after levels of carbon monoxide — a highly toxic, odourless gas — in the mine were found to have “exceeded limits”.\n\nSome of those stuck underground were in “critical condition”, that report said.\n\nThe death toll then jumped sharply as the morning wore on.\n\n## Lax safety protocols\n\nShanxi, one of China’s poorer provinces, is the country’s coal-mining capital.\n\nMine safety in the country has improved in recent decades, but accidents still occur in an industry where safety protocols are often lax and regulations vague.\n\nIn 2023, a collapse at an open-pit coal mine in the northern Inner Mongolia region killed 53 people.\n\nAnd in 2009, an explosion at a mine in northeastern Heilongjiang province killed more than 100.\n\nChina is the world’s top consumer of coal and the largest greenhouse gas emitter, despite installing renewable energy capacity at record speed.",
  "title": "China coal mine blast kills at least 90, more missing"
}