China: At Least 10 Dead, 6 Missing In Coal Mine Accident. Safety Checks Launched In Pingdingshan City

10 people died and six are reported to be missing after a coal mine accident in the city of Pingdingshan, in central China. The accident has led to safety checks throughout the city.

61 people are trapped and 14 missing after an accident occurred Friday afternoon in a coal mine in Pingdingshan, China's Henan Province, China-based news platform People's Daily reported sharing this image on X.

Source : X/@PDChina

A Tragic scene emerged in a coal mine in China as at least 10 people died and six are reported missing after an in the city of Pingdingshan, in central China on Friday. "The incident is vowing to continue rescue operations and launch city-wide safety checks", said the local emergency management agency, as per news agency Reuters.

According to a report by Reuters, a safety inspection campaign in coal-rich Pingdingshan, in Henan province, could disrupt coal production there and strain coal supplies. Last November, coal prices in China jumped after the country's cabinet vowed to ramp up safety checks as deaths from accidents in top coal-producing region Shanxi had sharply risen.

"The accident occurred around 2:55 p.m. (0655 GMT)on Friday due to a coal and gas outburst at a mine owned by China's Pingdingshan Tianan Coal Mining (601666.SS)", Pingdingshan's emergency management bureau said in a statement.

"The concrete plans will be made to rescue the missing and investigate the cause of the accident", added the agency.

Ongoing search and rescue operations are being conducted, according to state media CCTV. 425 individuals were working underground when the explosion occurred. Those who are responsible for the mine taken into custody by the Authorities, as reported by Xinhua news agency. 

Albeit there have been improvements in mining safety standards post increased media coverage of such incidents in China in recent times. Similar accidents have also occurred in the past that led to safety checks. 

According to Xinhua report, last month, a mining accident on the outskirts of Jixi city in northeastern Heilongjiang province resulted in 12 fatalities and 13 injuries.
Additionally, November saw 11 fatalities in a coal mine accident in the same province, while a coal mine fire in Guizhou province claimed at least 16 lives in September.
Official figures for 2022 disclosed 245 fatalities in 168 mining accidents in China.

China is the second-largest coal-producing country in the world. 96% of China's total coal production is from underground mines. 

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