Public outrage is growing in China following a devastating coal mine explosion in Shanxi province that killed at least 82 people and injured over 120. The blast occurred on Friday at the privately owned Liushenyu mine in Changzhi city, operated by Tongzhou Group.
Preliminary investigations have revealed serious safety violations, including allegations that workers entered the mine without mandatory tracking devices, hindering rescue efforts. State media reported that blueprints submitted to regulators did not match actual underground conditions, and the number of workers underground at the time of the explosion was nearly double the company's listed figure.
Social media users expressed anger over the discrepancies, with one Weibo user asking, 'Why are there more than 100 unregistered workers appearing out of the blue? Was it to exceed production limits? To reduce costs? Or to conceal the number of workers during an accident?' Others accused local regulators of failing to enforce safety rules despite warning signs, noting that Tongzhou Group had received administrative penalties earlier this year and the Liushenyu facility was listed as a 'severe hazard' mine in 2024.
The disaster has rattled commodity markets, with coking coal futures surging 8% after local authorities launched sweeping safety inspections. Officials in Shanxi ordered a comprehensive review of gas control systems, ventilation, underground layouts, and safety monitoring equipment across the coal mining industry.
Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered a 'tough and uncompromising' investigation, and officials vowed to 'severely punish' those responsible. State media reported that executives of Tongzhou Group have been placed under 'control measures', and all four of the company's mines in Shanxi have been suspended. The accident is China's deadliest mining disaster since 2009, when a gas explosion in Heilongjiang killed 108 people.
