8 confirmed dead as coal mine explosion traps dozens in northern China

International

By Patricia Andrea Pateña-Matheu

TRAPPED underground in northern China, dozens of miners remain inside a coal mine after a gas explosion that left at least eight people dead.

The explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine in Changzhi City, Shanxi province, occurred at 7:30 p.m. local time (7:30 a.m. ET) on Friday while 247 workers were underground, according to state media reports.

Rescue operations are ongoing as emergency teams work to reach those still inside.

Xinhua News reported that at least 201 miners had been brought out safely by 6:00 a.m. local time on Saturday.

At least 38 workers remain trapped following the blast, while the confirmed death toll stands at eight.

Carbon monoxide levels “exceeded limits” in the mine after the explosion, according to Xinhua.

The cause of the incident has not yet been determined.

Shanxi province, a major coal-producing region in northern China, has a long history of mining accidents across its extensive coal industry.(MyTVCebu)