Recent mining accidents in China continue to plague the country. On August 21st, a coal mine accident occurred in Sihe Coal Mine in Leishan City, Sichuan Province, resulting in at least 7 deaths. Prior to this, another accident took place on August 18th in Gotou Mine in Weixin County, Yunnan Province, leading to at least 5 fatalities.
According to the emergency management bureau in Wutong Qiao District, Leishan City, around 10 a.m. on the 21st, an accident transpired during the sealing operation of a ventilation shaft at Sihe Coal Mine in Shilin Town, Wutong Qiao District. Initial reports indicated 8 people were trapped. As of 2 p.m., 7 fatalities have been confirmed, with 1 person still being rescued.
Three netizens expressed their anguish – “One of them is my family member.” “All the deceased are people I know!” “My father is one of them.”
Some netizens remarked, “That mine in Wutong Qiao should have closed down long ago, it’s extremely dangerous and dilapidated.” Others mentioned, “This was a mine already out of operation, undergoing final sealing.”
Information from Tianyancha app revealed that Sihe Coal Industry Co., Ltd. in Leishan City was established in 2012, with a registered capital of 24.074 million RMB. Its business scope includes coal mining, sales, electricity production, and sales. The legal representative is Zeng Chaozhong, while Peng Zhongyong holds a 60% stake.
Annual reports indicate that the company was in a state of suspension from 2020 to 2023, with zero insured personnel. A search on Tianyancha uncovered 11 enterprises associated with Peng Zhongyong, spanning industries such as coal mining and tea in Leishan City.
As per the Hunan Daily report, released in July 2021, a message by the Leishan Chamber of Commerce disclosed that Peng Zhongyong also holds the position of Chairman of Sichuan Mining Association.
In a prior incident reported by the Weixin County Emergency Management Bureau in Zhaotong City, Yunnan Province, around 5:40 a.m. on the 18th, a suspected coal and gas outburst occurred at Gotou Coal Mine in Santao Township, Weixin County, resulting in 5 deaths and 1 missing person.
Rescuers at the scene informed the Xinjing News that the accident happened while a coal-cutting machine was excavating, causing a coal burst when it reached a thin coal seam about 90 cm thick. The outburst exceeded 300 tons, blocking the entire working space and causing suffocation deaths among the workers in the pit. The missing individual was speculated to have been pushed to a turning point at the exit by the burst coal, approximately 130 meters away.
Presently, over 10 tons of extruded coal remain at the scene and are being cleared.
One netizen shared, “My younger brother has been buried for 25 hours, his life hanging by a thread. He has young children at home, and our parents are unable to work. Our family is in shambles; he was our main support.” “So sad, one of them was my cousin-in-law, leaving behind a 20-year-old wife and two children.” “My neighbor’s relative also tragically perished. Such a pity.”
Informed netizens questioned, “Wasn’t the last safety inspection less than a month ago? How was it conducted?” Some heard that more than 6 people were trapped, “But I volunteered in the rescue for two days, and they kept saying only six were trapped. There’s a seriously injured person in the hospital not being reported.”
Another added, “In our area, 9 were killed and 13 are still missing, with search operations ongoing.”
China’s coal mines are among the world’s most perilous workplaces. According to independent labor organizations, around 20,000 miners in China lose their lives in mining accidents every year.