2024 Pingdingshan mining explosion

On 12 January 2024, a coal mine explosion occurred in Pingdingshan, in central China's Henan Province. The incident was described as a possible explosion of coal and gas and occurred around 14:55 local time (06:55 GMT).

The death toll in the incident has reached 13 while three people are still missing.

Incident
The blast occurred at 12 January 2024, in Pingdingshan, Henan Province around 14:55 local time (06:55 GMT). It occurred at a subsidiary of the mine. The explosion was believed to involve coal or gas.

Aftermath
The blast halted production at more than a dozen mines. Authorities have taken the leaders of the mine into custody.

Response and rescue efforts
Rescue operations were started immediately after the explosion. However, the situation in the area remained dangerous and the search operation had to be stopped for several hours due to the fear of further landslides. Despite these challenges, rescuers and bulldozers are digging through tons of earth and debris in search of missing people.