Islamabad (GNP): President Asif Ali Zardari has expressed profound grief and sorrow over the tragic explosion at a coal mine in Shanxi province of China, which resulted in the loss of many precious lives and injuries to several others.
The President conveyed his heartfelt condolences and sympathies to President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, the bereaved families and the people of China over the tragic accident.
President Zardari said that the people of Pakistan stand in solidarity with their Chinese brothers and sisters during this difficult time. He also expressed sympathy with those injured in the accident and prayed for their early recovery.
The President expressed hope that the ongoing rescue efforts would succeed in bringing the remaining trapped workers to safety. He also appreciated the rescue and emergency response efforts undertaken by the Chinese authorities following the incident.
The gas explosion at the Liushenyu Coal Mine in Shanxi province is the worst mining disaster in China since 2009.
There were 247 workers reportedly on duty when the blast happened at 19:29 local time on Friday (22:29 GMT), with more than 100 people reportedly pulled to safety and hundreds of rescuers sent to the site.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for no effort to be spared in efforts to treat the injured and search for survivors, and asked the government to investigate the cause of the blast and hold those responsible to account.
In 2024, the Liushenyu mine was listed as one of the “severe safety hazards” by the Chinese National Mine Safety Administration.
Tongzhou Group, which runs the mine, has reportedly received two administrative penalties in 2025 for safety issues.
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Shanxi province produces more than a quarter of China’s total coal output. In the early 2000s, deadly accidents were common in coal mines across the country.
Safety standards have since been tightened, and authorities have cracked down on illegal coal mines, particularly in Shanxi. However, accidents continue to occur.
In 2023, a collapse at an open-pit coal mine in the Inner Mongolia region killed 53 people. Earlier, in 2009, an explosion at a mine in Heilongjiang province killed more than 100.
