Coal Mine Blast Kills 82 in Northern China

At least 82 people have been killed after a gas explosion tore through a coal mine in northern China, according to state media reports.

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China’s state news agency Xinhua said the blast occurred at the Liushenyu Coal Mine, operated by the Tongzhou Group in Shanxi Province.

The explosion happened at 19:29 local time on Friday (11:29 GMT), Xinhua reported.

A total of 247 workers were reportedly on duty at the mine when the incident took place.

Authorities said rescue operations were continuing at the site as emergency crews searched for survivors and worked to assess the full scale of the disaster.

No immediate details were released about the cause of the explosion or the condition of the remaining workers.

Shanxi Province is one of China’s main coal-producing regions and has seen a number of mining accidents over the years despite repeated government pledges to improve industrial safety standards.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 23 May 2026