China: Fire at coal mine company kills dozens
November 16, 2023
A fire at a coal company's office in China's northern Shanxi province on Thursday killed at least 25 people and injured dozens more, according to Chinese state media.
Shanxi is a major coal-producing hub in China.
What we know about the China coal mine company fire
Reports said the fire broke out at the Yongju Coal Industry Joint Building at 6:50 am local time.
The blaze appeared to be in a building with offices and dormitories and not where coal was being mined. The cause of the fire is still being investigated.
By Thursday afternoon, the fire had been contained and rescue operations were underway, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
District officials said rescue and emergency services have evacuated 63 people. It was unclear whether the dead were among those, according to a CCTV report.
Video footage from social media platform Weibo showed flames and thick black smoke coming from the building, with dozens of people standing in the parking lot watching.
Coal production in China
China is a major global producer of coal and accidents are not uncommon. According to official figures, there were 518 mining accidents last year.
Lately, coal producers have been under scrutiny as Beijing tries to improve on safety standards at mines.
tg/rt (AP, Reuters)