A carbon monoxide level exceeding safety limits occurred in a coal mine in northeastern China, resulting in 4 workers dead and at least 90 still trapped underground, many in critical condition. .
On 23 May 2026, China's official Xinhua News Agency reported an accident at the Liushenyu coal mine in Changzhi City, northeastern China, after carbon monoxide levels inside the mine surged beyond safety standards at approximately 21:43 local time on Friday night.
At the time of the incident, 247 workers were underground. Rescue teams have evacuated at least 157 workers by early Saturday morning, including 4 deceased. However, around 90 workers remain trapped inside the mine amid ongoing rescue operations. Chinese official media reported that at least 16 of those still trapped are in critical condition.
So far, Chinese authorities have not revealed the cause of the abnormal rise in carbon monoxide levels. This incident has renewed concerns about safety standards in China's mining industry, which has previously experienced serious accidents due to toxic gases, explosions, and inadequate ventilation systems.
Source: Xinhua