WorldChinese President Xi Jinping called for a thorough investigation and accountability of those responsible, after the deadly gas explosion happened Friday evening at the Liushenyu coal mine in the province of Shanxi.Hundreds of rescuers and medical personnel have been sent to help with rescue effortsE. Eduardo Castillo · The Associated Press · Posted: May 24, 2026 5:20 AM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, rescue workers prepare to descend into a coal mine in the aftermath of an explosion at Changzhi city's Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county, northern China's Shanxi Province on Saturday, May 23, 2026. (Cao Yang/Xinhua via The Associated Press)Rescuers in northern China looked for survivors Sunday after the country's deadliest coal mine explosion in recent years killed at least 82 people.An Associated Press reporter witnessed police and security guarding the entrance to the mining facility located in Qinyuan county in the city of Changzhi as emergency vehicles were on site.Hundreds of rescuers and medical personnel were sent to help with rescue efforts, state media reported.UpdatedChina lowers coal mine disaster death toll to 82Chinese President Xi Jinping called for a thorough investigation and accountability of those responsible, after the deadly gas explosion happened Friday evening at the Liushenyu coal mine in the province of Shanxi.Two were missing and dozens of miners were hospitalized, local officials said late Saturday at a news conference. The death toll was revised down from 90, with officials blaming "chaotic" scenes in the aftermath and inaccurate information provided by the mine operator as the reason.Some hospitalized miners recalled seeing smoke when the accident happened and blacking out, according to state media reports.The coal mine has "seriously" violated the law, according to local officials, although they did not elaborate on the specific violations. China's state broadcaster CCTV earlier reported that blueprints provided by the Liushenyu coal mine did not match the actual layout, which hampered rescue efforts.California governor declares state of emergency due to overheating chemical tankExplosion at Staten Island dry dock leaves 1 dead, 36 injuredThe official Xinhua News Agency said those responsible for the company behind the mine accident had been "placed under control."Local authorities said following the accident that there would be a "comprehensive, blanket" inspection of the coal mining sector that would include checks of coal mines' gas drainage, ventilation, safety monitoring systems and their underground layouts.The inland Shanxi province, located southwest of China's capital, Beijing, with a population of around 34 million, is China's main coal-mining province where hundreds of thousands of miners work.A broader inspection of coal mines could put pressure on the province's ability to produce its annual capacity of around 1.3 billion tons of coal, which accounts for nearly a third of China's total.Coal remains a major energy source in China, given its high availability and low cost, even as the country accelerates its green energy transition. Mining accidents were common and authorities had implemented measures to help improve safety over the past years.