A coal mine gas explosion in China's Shanxi province has killed at least 90 people in the country's deadliest such incident since 2009, prompting President Xi Jinping to urge nationwide efforts to curb major industrial accidents. The blast late Friday in the city of Changzhi is under investigation, China Central Television reported.
Xi called for lessons to be drawn from the incident, and urged stronger risk inspections and hazard controls, and heightened vigilance during the flood season. Premier Li Qiang echoed the directives, calling for transparent information disclosure and tighter enforcement of safety responsibilities across key sectors, Xinhua News Agency said.
The last coal mine accident that had a higher death toll was a 2009 explosion in Heilongjiang that killed 108 people.
Coal remains a key pillar of China's energy mix, underpinning power generation and industrial activity amid strong demand and limited short-term alternatives.
Tighter safety checks in Shanxi, China's largest coal hub, could curb near-term supply and support prices, while broader inspections may weigh on output. Under regulations, the explosion exceeds the 30-death threshold for classification as an extraordinarily serious accident, the highest level.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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