At least 90 people have been killed in an explosion at a coal mine in northern China, media reports said on Saturday.
The explosion occurred late on Friday at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county, where 247 workers were on duty underground at the time, Reuters reported.
It said 90 people lost their lives in the blast.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called on authorities to “spare no effort” in treating the injured and carrying out search and rescue operations.
He also ordered a thorough investigation into the cause of the accident and strict accountability in accordance with the law.
Local emergency management authorities in Qinyuan said rescue operations were ongoing and the cause of the explosion remained under investigation.
The mine is operated by Shanxi Tongzhou Group Liushenyu Coal Industry, established in 2010 and controlled by Shanxi Tongzhou Coal Coking Group, according to the corporate database Qichacha.
China has significantly reduced coal mine fatalities — often caused by gas explosions or flooding — since the early 2000s through stricter regulations and improved safety measures.
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