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A "tough and uncompromising" investigation will be carried out by China's central government into the gas explosion.
6 national rescue teams have been dispatched after gas explosion.
A total of 247 workers were underground when the accident occurred at 7:29 pm on Friday at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county, Changzhi.
The death toll from the coal mine gas explosion has risen to 82.
When my colleagues and I reached the road leading to the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county, Shanxi province, around noon on Saturday, it had already been sealed off.
Ambulances waited nearby. Rescue vehicles rushed in and out. Police cordons marked the boundary between the outside world and a rescue operation unfolding deep underground — in tunnels rendered extremely dangerous by cave-ins, flooding and toxic gases.
A huge explosion rocked the coal mine at 7:29 pm on Friday. As of Saturday night, local authorities confirmed that 82 people had been killed and two remained unaccounted for. A total of 128 people were injured and taken to hospitals for treatment.
For rescuers at the site, every descent into the mine shaft was driven by one hope — to find signs of life.
Among those helping in the aftermath of the disaster is 54-year-old Guang Xinhai, head of the Shanxi Huayang mine rescue squad, one of China's national-level mine emergency rescue teams. Guang, who has more than three decades of experience in mine rescues, described the operation as exceptionally difficult.
After receiving the call late on Friday, Guang and his 38-member team set out for Qinyuan overnight and arrived at the site in the early hours of Saturday.
"We searched for more than eight straight hours, checking every possible corner," Guang said after coming out of the mine on Saturday. "We want to hold on to every little hope of life and bring the miners out as soon as possible."
Near the mine entrance, rescue personnel waited for their turn to descend to the affected area. As soon as one team returned above ground, another made its way down. Some rescuers, their faces blackened with coal dust, rested briefly on the open ground before heading for the next round of efforts.
One rescuer, still covered in dust after emerging from the shaft, said it was the largest rescue operation he had ever joined.
"As long as there is hope, we will make every possible effort," he said.
The difficult circumstances could be fathomed from the equipment being sent underground. Rubber boats, waterproof suits and other supplies were rushed into the mine to deal with flooded sections of the tunnel. Officials said the presence of toxic gases inside the mine shaft posed the risk of secondary disasters.
Villagers living nearby recalled hearing a loud explosion on Friday evening. Some miners managed to escape on their own, but others were not so lucky. Several survivors later spoke of thick dust and a deafening noise when the accident took place.
A retired miner who once worked at the mine had also rushed to the site. Familiar with the underground layout, he hoped his knowledge could help the rescue teams.
"I really did not want to see an accident like this happen," he said.
Rescue work continues at the site. Teams of rescue personnel are working around the clock in shifts and equipment is being sent to support the search.
"My greatest wish now is that the miners return home safely," said Guang, the rescuer.
His team has deployed robots underground to improve search efficiency and rescue safety.
Luo Wangshu in Beijing contributed to this story.
The People's Hospital in Qinyuan county, North China's Shanxi province, is currently treating 43 survivors of the Liushenyu coal mine explosion for minor injuries, while psychological counseling services are also being offered to those affected. Zhao Caihong, vice-president of the hospital, provided more detail in an interview with China Daily.
An injury treatment site for survivors of the Liushenyu coal mine explosion has been established at a local hospital in Qinyuan county, Changzhi city, North China's Shanxi province.
Reporters visiting the site on Sunday learned that the hospital is currently treating 43 patients with minor injuries, while psychological counseling services are also being offered to those affected.
The gas explosion at the mine, which occurred on Friday, resulted in the deaths of at least 82 people. Zhang Taosuo, 47, and his colleagues were working about 400 meters away from the mine entrance when the explosion occurred. The explosion left him with a head injury, while he also suffered toxic gas inhalation. Zhang was transferred to hospital for treatment shortly after the accident, where his injuries have since been confirmed as minor in nature.
TAIYUAN -- All-out rescues are still underway to reach the two people who remained unaccounted for following a deadly coal mine accident in North China's Shanxi province.
A gas explosion hit the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county of Changzhi city at 7:29 pm on Friday. A total of 82 people were confirmed dead and two remained missing, said Chen Xiangyang, mayor of Changzhi, at a press conference held on Saturday night.
A total of 128 people were injured and are receiving treatment at hospitals, including two in critical condition and two in serious condition, according to Chen.
Officials at the press conference attributed the initial inaccurate figures to chaos at the scene and the company's failure to provide the accurate headcount of workers on duty.
The company involved in the explosion was found with "serious violations of laws" after an initial investigation. Those responsible for the company have been placed under control, and the company's coal mines have ceased production for a safety overhaul, said the mayor.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, has urged all-out rescue of the missing and treatment of the injured and demanded a thorough investigation, with accountability pursued in accordance with the law.
Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing has led a team to the site to oversee the rescue efforts and the handling of the accident's aftermath.
The province has sent 755 people including rescuers and medical personnel to the site. The Ministry of Emergency Management earlier said it had dispatched six national mine emergency rescue teams, totaling 345 people, to assist in rescue efforts.
On Saturday evening, multiple rescue teams are taking turns going down the shaft. Near the mine entrance, a professional rescue team had just risen from underground when another team stood ready to descend.
"As long as there is hope, we will make every possible effort," one rescuer told Xinhua.
Rescuers said the mission remained difficult due to cave-ins and flooding in the tunnels.
Officials at the press conference also said toxic and harmful gases under the mine shaft have exceeded safe limits for a long time, posing a risk of secondary disasters.
A doctor from Licheng county, about 130 km away from Qinyuan county, said they received the order at 4 am and immediately rushed to the scene with equipment and medicine. Currently, together with other medical rescue teams, they remain on standby at the site.
"If any survivors are brought up, they will receive timely treatment without delay," the doctor said.
The National Health Commission has organized remote consultations by medical experts in Beijing. Respiratory, burning and orthopedic specialists from two Beijing hospitals have also been dispatched to the scene.
The 124 people with minor injuries have all been transferred to major hospitals for close observation and treatment. The severely and critically injured people are under tailored treatment developed by medical expert teams.
Several survivors recalled thick dust and deafening roars at the time of the accident. Many miners collapsed before they could even react.
"At first, I thought it was a routine blasting operation," said one survivor, Li Shibing. He did not realize it was a gas explosion until his coworker was overcome with dizziness. They immediately activated their portable self-rescue devices and fled the mine.
"MUST LEARN LESSONS"
An investigation team sent by China's State Council has vowed to thoroughly and strictly investigate the accident.
In his instructions issued on Saturday, Xi stressed that authorities across the country must learn lessons from the accident, remain vigilant on workplace safety, and intensify efforts to identify and eliminate potential risks in order to prevent major accidents.
China's National Mine Safety Administration has instructed local authorities to implement a recently issued notice on enhancing training for coal mine workers and rooting out safety hazards.
The mine safety administration of North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region has sent special task forces to investigate all active high-gas mines and address potential violations such as inadequate gas drainage, operations under excessive gas concentrations, and falsification of monitoring data.
Southwest China's Yunnan province has demanded that coal producers and supervision personnel maintain vigilance and carry out round-the-clock monitoring.
Local officials in Shanxi province said on Saturday night that a preliminary investigation had found major legal violations by the coal mine company involved in a Friday gas explosion that killed at least 82 people.
The explosion occurred at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county, Changzhi city, North China's Shanxi province. The mine is operated by Shanxi Tongzhou Group, a local private enterprise.
Changzhi Mayor Chen Xiangyang said at a news conference in Qinyuan on Saturday night that the company's actual controllers, persons in charge and other relevant personnel had been taken into custody in accordance with the law. He added that the specific cause of the accident remains under investigation.
As of around 10 pm on Saturday, the accident had killed 82 people, with two others still missing, Chen said. A total of 128 injured people were receiving treatment in hospitals, while 35 others who were uninjured had returned home on their own.
The mayor apologized to the public, as well as to the victims, the injured and their families, and expressed deep condolences to those who lost their lives in the accident.
Guo Xiaofang, head of the Qinyuan county government, also apologized at the news conference, saying that chaotic conditions at the scene and the company's unclear count of workers on duty had led to inaccurate initial figures.
"This accident caused heavy casualties. It is extremely serious in nature and the lesson is painfully profound," Chen said.
He said authorities would spare no effort and no cost in searching for the missing, while doing everything possible to treat the injured.
The investigation would be carried out in a fact-based and scientific manner to further determine the cause of the accident, Chen said.
"We must give the victims, their families and the public a responsible explanation," he said.
Guo said the accident had exposed "serious loopholes and weaknesses" in key areas of local governance, including workplace safety supervision, the identification and rectification of risks and hidden dangers, and the fulfillment of companies' primary responsibilities.
He said the next phase of work would focus on verifying information, communicating with families of the dead and injured, handling compensation, meeting families' daily needs, and conducting forensic examinations.
Authorities will carefully verify the identities, backgrounds, family relationships and household conditions of the dead and injured to ensure the accuracy of information, Guo said.
They will also immediately provide emotional support and psychological counseling to family members, and steadily advance the calculation, negotiation and payment of compensation, he said.
Special attention will be given to helping elderly people living alone, the weak, the sick, families in difficulty and other vulnerable relatives, Guo said.
All 128 people injured in a coal mine explosion in North China's Shanxi province are now in stable condition, including four patients who were previously in serious or critical condition, a local health official said on Saturday night.
Guo Junzhi, head of the health commission of Changzhi city, said at a news conference that the 124 patients with mild injuries had been transferred to tertiary hospitals for observation and treatment.
He said the two severe patients and two critical cases have each received targeted treatment plans developed by dedicated expert teams to reduce the risk of mortality, and all four are now in stable condition with no life-threatening risks.
Under the guidance of national-level and provincial-level expert teams, continued efforts will be made to refine treatment plans and provide follow-up care and rehabilitation, as well as psychological counselling. Professional teams will also be arranged to offer counselling, care and emotional support services, he added.
As of around 10:30 pm Saturday, 82 people had been confirmed dead following the blast at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county in Shanxi's Changzhi city, China Media Group reported. Two people remain missing.
The National Health Commission said on Saturday that it has organized health officials and multidisciplinary medical experts to guide treatment for people injured in a coal mine blast in northern China's Shanxi province.
Senior officials from the commission have been dispatched to guide on-site rescue and medical treatment efforts.
Three medical specialists in respiratory and intensive care, burns, and orthopedic trauma from Peking Union Medical College Hospital and Beijing Jishuitan Hospital have also been sent to provide on-the-ground medical support.
Experts from leading hospitals specializing in trauma care, intensive care and respiratory care have been mobilized to provide remote consultations.
As of 2 pm Saturday, 82 people had been confirmed dead following the blast at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county in Shanxi's Changzhi city, China Media Group reported.
The Health Commission of Shanxi Province has mobilized 17 specialists from top medical institutions within the province. Meanwhile, Changzhi city has deployed 86 ambulances to ensure all-out efforts in medical treatment.
Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing on Saturday called for all-out search and rescue efforts and a thorough investigation into the cause of a Friday gas explosion at a coal mine in North China's Shanxi province that killed dozens of people.
Zhang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, urged further safety inspections and rectification in key sectors across the country, including coal mines and hazardous chemicals, according to China Media Group.
As of 2 pm Saturday, 82 people had been confirmed dead following the gas explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county, Shanxi, Xinhua reported.
The senior official led a working group to the site of the gas explosion on Saturday to guide emergency response work.
He convened a meeting at the on-site command center to arrange work on rescue and medical treatment, victim support and aftermath handling, and accident investigation.
Zhang stressed the need to mobilize professional forces to carry out scientific search and rescue operations with all-out efforts, while preventing secondary casualties. The number of missing people must be verified, and no one should be left unaccounted for, he said.
He also called for organizing high-level medical experts to provide careful treatment for the injured and minimize disabilities caused by injuries.
Zhang said support and follow-up work for affected families should be carried out in a "solid and meticulous" manner, while information should be released in a timely and accurate way to respond to public concerns.
He urged the State Council investigation team to conduct a "tough and uncompromising" investigation, thoroughly identify the cause of the accident, and determine responsibilities related to local management, industry supervision and the company involved, with severe punishment imposed in accordance with laws and regulations.
The Office of the State Council Work Safety Commission and local authorities should immediately make further arrangements for safety inspections and rectification in key sectors, including coal mines and hazardous chemicals, Zhang said.
He also emphasized strictly enforcing regulations and strengthening coordination between administrative law enforcement and criminal justice.
A "tough and uncompromising" investigation will be carried out by China's central government into the gas explosion that occurred at a coal mine in Shanxi province on Friday and killed dozens of people, Xinhua News Agency reported on Saturday evening.
As of 2 pm Saturday, 82 people had been confirmed dead following the gas explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county, according to Xinhua.
The accident investigation team, led by the State Council, China's Cabinet, will make rigorous efforts to determine the cause of the accident, clarify responsibilities in local management, industry supervision and corporate operations, and impose strict penalties in accordance with laws and regulations, the Xinhua report said.
All regions and relevant departments have been urged to conduct a comprehensive review of the implementation of mine safety measures and to crack down hard on illegal and rule-breaking operations, it said.
Authorities were also required to carry out strict investigations and impose punishments over problems including concealed working faces in coal mines, falsification of safety monitoring data, unclear numbers of underground workers, and illegal subcontracting or contract transfers, according to the report.
A total of 755 rescue and medical workers from seven teams in Shanxi province have been dispatched to the scene where a gas explosion occurred in a Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county, Shanxi on Friday, local authorities said.???
As of 2 pm Saturday, 82 people have been confirmed dead,?Xinhua reported.
The emergency response authority in Qinyuan county said 123 people had been sent to hospitals for treatment, including two in critical condition and two in serious condition, as of 2 pm Saturday, Xinhua News Agency reported on Saturday afternoon. Additionally, 33 others had returned home.
China Media Group citing a local doctor reported on Saturday afternoon that the injured were mainly affected by toxic gas. Psychologists have also been providing counseling to the injured, the report said.
The actual controllers and persons in charge of the company running the coal mine have been taken into custody in accordance with the law.
BEIJING - China has dispatched six national mine emergency rescue teams, totaling 345 personnel with equipment, to assist in rescue efforts following a coal mine gas explosion in Qinyuan county, North China's Shanxi province, the Ministry of Emergency Management said on Saturday.
The gas explosion occurred at the Liushenyu coal mine on Friday. The death toll has risen to 82. Rescue efforts are ongoing.
The death toll from a fatal coal mine gas explosion in North China's Shanxi province has risen to 82 and rescue efforts are ongoing, Xinhua reported.
Individuals in charge of the company involved have been taken into custody by law enforcement, according to the rescue headquarters.
A total of 247 workers were underground when the accident occurred at 7:29 pm on Friday at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county, Changzhi.
As of 6:00 am on Saturday, 201 miners had been safely brought to the surface.
