China investigates county chief after deadly Shanxi mine blastdeadly Shanxi mine blast
China has launched a disciplinary investigation into a county-level Communist Party chief in Shanxi province after a fatal gas explosion at a local coal mine killed 82 people and left two missing.
The inquiry came months after the official inspected the mine, underscoring ongoing scrutiny of local safety oversight and accountability in China’s coal industry.
- Shanxi has some of China’s largest coal reserves.
- Coal mining accidents have repeatedly driven national safety campaigns in China.
- Local party officials are often held responsible for industrial accidents even when they do not run the mine.
