A mining tragedy in northeast China has resulted in the loss of twelve lives and injuries to thirteen others, according to state media reports on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a coal mine near Jixi city in Heilongjiang province at 3:50 pm local time on Wednesday.
The accident involved a vehicle in the mine’s inclined shaft, leading to the reported casualties. All injured individuals have been transported to hospitals for treatment, while the cause of the accident is currently under investigation.
“The accident has caused 12 deaths and injured 13, and the injured have all been sent to hospital for treatment
“The cause of the accident is still under investigation,” CCTV said on Thursday.
China has witnessed improvements in mining safety over recent decades, with increased media coverage of major incidents.
However, the industry still faces challenges, marked by a poor safety record and inadequate enforcement of regulations.
Official figures from last year indicated 245 deaths in 168 mining accidents. In November, another coal mine accident in Heilongjiang claimed the lives of 11 people, while a coal mine fire in Guizhou province in September resulted in at least 16 fatalities.
Earlier in the year, a coal mine collapse in Inner Mongolia’s Alxa League took months to disclose its final death toll of 53, emphasizing ongoing safety concerns in the industry.
