82 killed in China’s worst coal mine accident for more than a decade
More than 100 survivors treated in hospital after the explosion in Shanxi and executives from the mining firm have been detained
At least 82 people have been killed in a blast at a coal mine in the central Chinese province of Shanxi, with reports earlier saying the death toll was higher.
State news agency Xinhua reported that the gas explosion happened at the Liushenyu Coal Mine in Qinyuan county, about 520km (320 miles) southwest of Beijing, at around 7.30pm on Friday after the mine issued a carbon monoxide alert.
There were 247 workers underground at the time of the blast. As of Saturday afternoon, 128 survivors were being treated in hospital, including two who were in a critical condition, while 35 others were able to return home. Two were missing.
At a press conference late on Saturday, authorities in the city of Changzhi, which oversees the county, said at least 82 had died. Earlier in the day, both Xinhua and state broadcaster CCTV said the figure was at least 90.
Xinhua said the reported figures were initially incorrect because the company did not have an accurate head count of the workers on duty.
One of the injured miners, Wang Yong, told state broadcaster CCTV that he had not heard any noise when the accident happened but he had seen a cloud of smoke and smelled sulphur.
“[It was] just like when explosives are detonated and I told everyone to run. As we were running, I saw people collapsing from the smoke and then I blacked out too,” Wang said.