At least 15 dead, dozens hurt after coal mine explosion in north China

TAIYUAN, CHINA (BNO NEWS) — At least 15 people were killed and scores of others were injured when a blast ripped through a coal mine in northern China on early Saturday, state-run media reported.

The explosion happened around 3.40 a.m. local time at the Liugou Coal Mine in Yicheng County of Shanxi Province, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency.

The blast happened at the dormitory area of the mine, leaving at least 15 people killed and more than 20 others injured. A senior official of Yangquan Coal Industry (Group) Co. Ltd, which owns the mine, told Xinhua that the casualty number could rise.

Rescue operations were still continuing as of early Saturday morning and the cause of the explosion is being investigated.

Although safety conditions have significantly improved in recent years, Saturday’s incident is the latest in a series of deadly mine accidents in China.

While most accidents only result in several fatalities or injuries, some incidents regularly cause mass casualties. Earlier this month, nearly four dozen miners were killed after four separate accidents in central and northwest China.

And on June 21, 46 miners were killed after an explosion at a coal mine in central China.

In November 2009, 104 miners were killed after several explosions at a coal mine in China’s Heilongjiang province.

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