BEIJING: A gas explosion at a coal mine in northern China has killed at least 82 people, state media reported on Saturday, in one of the country’s biggest industrial disasters of recent years.
The blast occurred at 7:29 p.m. (1129 GMT) on Friday at the Liushenyu coal mine in Shanxi province, according to state news agency Xinhua.
A total of 247 workers were underground at the time, most of whom were brought to the surface by Saturday morning, Xinhua said.
But the agency confirmed later that at least 82 people had died, adding that rescuers were still searching “intensively” for nine people who remained unaccounted for.
Footage published by state broadcaster CCTV showed helmeted rescuers carrying stretchers at the site, with ambulances visible in the background.
