China's Coal Mine Disaster: A Symptom of a Bigger Problem The gas explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine in northern China's Shanxi province has left 90 people dead and hundreds more trapped underground.
The blast, which occurred on Friday in Qinyuan county, about 320 miles southwest of Beijing, is just one of many accidents to have plagued China's mining industry.
Official statistics show that over 1,000 Chinese coal miners die each year due to accidents and occupational diseases.