China Coal Mine Blast Death Toll Rises to At Least 90

At least 90 people have been killed following a gas explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine in northern China's Shanxi province, according to state media reports. The blast occurred late Friday evening with 247 workers underground, and rescue operations are ongoing as authorities investigate the cause of the accident.

The death toll has risen significantly since initial reports on Saturday morning, which indicated only eight fatalities. State broadcaster CCTV reported that intensive rescue efforts were underway, with rescuers carrying stretchers at the mine entrance while ambulances waited in the background. Reports suggest that carbon monoxide levels had exceeded safe limits at the time of the explosion.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered authorities to "spare no effort" in treating the injured and conducting search and rescue operations. He also demanded a thorough investigation into the cause of the accident and strict accountability in accordance with the law, according to Xinhua. Premier Li Qiang echoed these instructions, calling for timely and accurate release of information.

The Liushenyu coal mine is located in Shanxi province, known as China's main coal mining region. The province produced approximately 1.3 billion tons of coal last year, nearly a third of China's total output. This incident marks one of the deadliest reported in China in the past decade.

Executives of the company responsible for the mine have been detained, Xinhua reported. Earlier reports had indicated that four people were initially confirmed dead and dozens were trapped underground with some in critical condition due to elevated carbon monoxide levels. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation by local emergency management authorities.