Former Mayor Investigated After Shanxi Coal Mine Disaster Kills 90
Published on 07/30/2026 at 12:27 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
A former mayor in China's Shanxi province is under investigation following a devastating gas explosion at a coal mine that killed 90 workers and injured more than 120 others — raising serious questions about regulatory oversight in one of the world's most dangerous mining regions.
Chen Xiangyang, who resigned as mayor of Changzhi on July 6, 2026, was placed under investigation for suspected "serious violations of discipline and national law" on July 30. The probe comes just weeks after he publicly apologised for the Liushenyu Coal Mine disaster in Qinyuan County, which occurred on the evening of May 22.
The Liushenyu Disaster
The explosion struck the mine, which has an annual production capacity of 1.2 million tonnes, at approximately 19:29. Initial reports confirmed 82 deaths and two people missing, but the final death toll rose to 90. More than 120 miners were injured, many from inhaling toxic gases.
The Supreme People's Procuratorate began supervising the investigation on May 25 to ensure strict accountability. Chen had issued a public apology the day after the blast.
Hidden Tunnels and Failed Safety Equipment
Rescue operations uncovered serious safety failures at the mine, which is owned by the Tongzhou Group. Rescuers discovered two underground tunnels that had not been marked on official mine maps — what they described as "hidden blueprints". These unmapped areas, combined with ground subsidence, severely hampered the efforts of hundreds of professional rescuers and medical staff deployed to the site.
Survivors reported critical failures in emergency equipment. One rescued miner said that self-rescuers — required by regulation to provide at least 30 minutes of oxygen — were exhausted after just seven or eight minutes.
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A History of Warnings Ignored
The disaster has intensified scrutiny of how the mine was allowed to continue operating despite a clear track record of safety violations. In April 2024, the National Mine Safety Administration had already classified the facility as a high-gas hazardous mine.
Records show the mine received six administrative penalties since 2017, totalling more than 515,000 yuan (approximately ÂŁ56,000). These included fines in December 2025 for failures in roof protection and emergency braking systems. Despite its high-risk status and repeated violations, the mine maintained a Grade II safety standardisation rating.
Financial records also reveal that the Tongzhou Group had pledged all equity of the Liushenyu Coal Mine to Minsheng Bank in January 2026.
Provincial Crackdown
In response to the explosion, Shanxi provincial authorities launched a strict rectification campaign across the coal industry. Provincial leadership has demanded a zero-tolerance approach to safety violations, with local officials conducting underground inspections and specialised teams deployed to mining hubs such as Jincheng and Jinzhong.
Chen Xiangyang, a graduate of Peking University with a long career in Shanxi's financial and administrative sectors, represents the most senior figure yet to face accountability for the disaster. The investigation marks a significant escalation in efforts to address regulatory failures in the region's mining sector.
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Separately, authorities in Meghalaya, India, reported a rise in fatalities following an illegal coal mine explosion in February 2026 — part of a broader global trend of intensified enforcement against unsafe mining operations.
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