Four workers died, and 90 were trapped underground at a coal mine in northern China after carbon monoxide reached dangerous levels at the site, the official Xinhua News Agency reported early Saturday (May 23, 2026).
A total of 247 miners were underground at the Liushenyu coal mine in Shanxi Province when the accident occurred on Friday (May 22, 2026) night, the agency said.
The four casualties were among 157 miners who had been brought to the surface. Of the 90 trapped, 16 were in critical condition, Xinhua said, as rescue efforts continued.
Shanxi Province is the coal-mining capital of China.
China is the world’s top consumer of coal and the largest greenhouse gas emitter, despite installing renewable energy capacity at record speed.
Mine safety in China has improved in recent decades but accidents still occur frequently in an industry where safety protocols are often lax.
Published – May 23, 2026 03:55 am IST
