At least 10 killed, 6 missing in coal mine accident in China's Pingdingshan city

The authorities in China have continued rescue operations and launched city-wide safety checks after at least 10 people have died and six are missing after a coal mine accident in the city of Pingdingshan in central China, the local emergency management agency said on Saturday.

The local emergency management agency in Pingdingshan, central China, reported that at least 10 people have lost their lives, and six are still missing following a coal mine accident. The agency stated on Saturday its commitment to ongoing rescue efforts and announced plans to conduct safety checks throughout the city.

The safety inspection campaign, focused on the coal-rich region of Pingdingshan in Henan province, may have repercussions on coal production, potentially straining coal supplies in the area. Notably, a surge in coal prices occurred last November in China after the cabinet pledged to intensify safety checks in response to a notable increase in fatalities from accidents in the leading coal-producing region of Shanxi.

Pingdingshan’s emergency management bureau said in a statement that the accident occurred around 2:55 pm on Friday due to a coal and gas outburst at a mine owned by China’s Pingdingshan Tianan Coal Mining. As of 3 p.m. on Saturday, 10 people had been confirmed dead, and six were missing.

The agency said it will make concrete plans to rescue the missing and investigate the cause of the accident. The official Xinhua news agency said a total of 425 people were working underground when the accident took place.

With inputs from Reuters.