Published on: 2026-05-24
Source: The People’s Republic of China in Russian –
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Taiyuan, May 24 /Xinhua/ — Full-scale rescue operations continue in Shanxi Province /Northern China/, aimed at searching for two people missing as a result of a fatal accident at a coal mine.
A gas explosion occurred at the coal mine Lüshen in the Qinhuangdao district of the city of Zhangji on Friday at 19:29, resulting in 82 deaths, with two more reported missing, the mayor of Zhangji Chen Xianyan announced at a press conference on Saturday evening.
According to Chen Xianyan, a total of 128 people were injured and taken to hospitals for treatment, with two of them in critical condition and another two in serious condition.
Officials at the press conference explained the initial inaccurate figures regarding the number of people injured at the scene of the incident and the company’s inability to provide an exact number of on-duty workers.
Chen Xianyan noted that after the initial investigation, the company associated with the coal mine where the gas explosion occurred was found guilty of serious violations of current legislation. The company’s responsible persons were taken under control, and the company’s coal mines ceased production to improve safety.
The Chairman of the Central Military Commission, Xi Jinping, who is also the General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, called for all necessary measures to be taken to search for and rescue those missing and provide aid to the wounded, and also demanded a thorough investigation into the causes of the accident with accountability to be assigned in accordance with the law.
Vice Premier of the State Council, Ku Chun Gocin, at the head of the responsible persons from the relevant departments, went to the incident site to lead the emergency rescue operation and work on the elimination of the consequences of the incident.
The administration of Shanxi province sent 755 people to the scene of the incident, including rescuers and medical personnel. The Ministry of Emergency Management of the PRC reported that six national mountain rescue teams totaling 345 people were dispatched to assist in the rescue work.
On Saturday evening, several rescue teams took turns descending into the shaft. At the shaft, one professional team had just climbed to the surface, while another was already ready to descend.
“As long as there is hope, we will make every possible effort,” said correspondent Sin Shuiua, one of the rescuers.
Rescuers said that search and rescue operations remain difficult due to collapses and flooding of the workings.
Officials at the press conference also stated that the level of toxic and harmful gases under the nozzle has long exceeded safe limits, creating a risk of a repeat disaster.
A doctor from the Licheng county, located approximately 130 km from Qinhuang county, reported that at 4 a.m. they received an order and immediately went to the scene with equipment and medicines. Currently, together with other medical teams, they continue to be on duty at the site.
“If any of the survivors raise their head above the surface, they will receive timely treatment without the slightest delay,” the doctor added.
The State Committee for Health Affairs of the KNL organized remote consultations with the participation of medical experts from Beijing. Specialists in the fields of respiratory medicine, burn treatment, and orthopedics from two Beijing hospitals were also sent to the scene of the incident.
All 124 patients with mild injuries have been transferred to major hospitals for thorough monitoring and treatment. Patients in severe and critical condition are receiving individualized treatment developed by groups of medical experts.
Several survivors recalled the thick cloud of dust and the deafening roar during the accident. Many shelves fell down, some without even having time to react.
“At first, I thought it was a regular explosive operation,” said one of the survivors, Li Shibin. He did not realize that it was a gas explosion until his colleague began to feel dizzy. They immediately turned on their portable self-rescue devices and left the shaft.
The investigative team, appointed by the State Council of the PRC, promised to conduct a thorough and strict investigation of the incident.
On Saturday, Si Zhinpin emphasized that local authorities across the country must learn lessons from this incident, maintain vigilance regarding production safety, and intensify efforts to identify and eliminate potential risks to prevent major accidents.
The State Coal Mine Safety Supervision Authority has instructed local authorities to implement the recently published notification on enhancing the training of coal mine workers and eliminating potential risks.
The Safety Supervision Administration of the Sha Autonomous District of Inner Mongolia /Northern China/ sent special operational groups to study all existing Sha with high gas content and to eliminate potential violations, such as insufficient gas drainage, operation under conditions of excessive gas concentration, and falsification of monitoring data.
Yunnan Province / Southwest China / demanded that coal producers and supervisory personnel maintain vigilance from the early stages and carry out round-the-clock monitoring. -0-
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