China mine collapse kills five:Incident comes days after deadly Shanxi disaster; raises workplace safety questions nationwide

A mine shaft collapse during an illegal mining operation in China’s southwestern Yunnan province killed five people and injured one, according to state media. The incident came just eight days after the country’s deadliest mining accident since 2009, which left at least 90 people dead. The collapse happened at around 4:30 a.m. on Sunday (2030 GMT on Saturday) in Huize County, Yunnan province, state news agency Xinhua reported, quoting local authorities. The report did not say which mineral was being mined. Of the six people rescued and taken to the hospital, only one survived, Xinhua said. The survivor is in stable condition. Investigation launched after latest accident Authorities have started an investigation into the cause of the Yunnan collapse. The incident follows the deadly gas explosion at a coal mine in northern China’s Shanxi province on May 22. Apart from the more than 90 people killed in the Shanxi disaster, two people are still missing, and 128 were injured. Chinese authorities have promised a full investigation into the Shanxi accident. Early findings revealed unmarked tunnels, missing tracking devices, and fake doors at the mining site. Also Read | 90 killed in massive coal mine explosion in China Shanxi blast kills over 90 A gas explosion at a coal mine in northern China’s Shanxi province killed more than 90 people and left dozens trapped underground, according to state media reports released on Saturday. The blast took place at 7:29 p.m. on Friday at an underground coal mine in Qinyuan County, Changzhi City. At the time of the explosion, 247 workers were underground. Xi orders rescue efforts and safety checks Chinese President Xi Jinping called for full-scale rescue operations and ordered officials to find the cause of the accident and hold those responsible accountable, Xinhua reported. Xi also urged local governments and industries across China to learn from the disaster and improve workplace safety measures. He called for stronger inspections to identify hidden dangers and prevent major industrial accidents, especially in high-risk industries such as coal mining. Shanxi, often called China’s coal mining heartland, produces nearly one-third of the country’s coal. The province, which is home to about 34 million people, mined around 1.3 billion tonnes of coal last year. ​