A coal mine explosion in China has resulted in the deaths of at least eight individuals, with 38 others currently trapped underground, as per reports from state media on Saturday.
The incident occurred at Liushenyu coal mine in Changzhi city, located in the northern province of Shanxi, on Friday evening. The official news agency Xinhua stated that approximately 247 workers were in the mine at the time, with 201 individuals safely rescued by early Saturday.
The cause of the explosion is currently under investigation, according to Xinhua.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged for a comprehensive rescue operation for the missing individuals and a thorough inquiry into the cause of the accident, with a focus on holding those responsible accountable, as reported by Xinhua.
Shanxi province, recognized as China’s primary coal mining province, is home to hundreds of thousands of miners who extracted 1.3 billion tons (1.17 billion metric tons) of coal last year, representing nearly one-third of China’s total coal production.