Chinese investigators have uncovered hidden tunnels, missing worker trackers and fake underground walls during an initial investigation into the country’s deadliest mining disaster in more than 15 years.
At least 82 people were killed following a gas explosion on Friday at the Liushenyu coal mine in northern China’s Shanxi province. Two miners remain missing, while another 128 people were hospitalised, according to state media.
The incident is China’s deadliest mining accident since 2009, when an explosion at the Xinxing mine in Heilongjiang province killed 108 people.
China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency reported that investigators found the mine had been operating concealed tunnels omitted from official maps and inspections.
The mine, operated by Shanxi Tongzhou Coal Coking Group, allegedly maintained two separate sets of operational plans and surveillance systems - one for regulators and another reflecting actual mining activities.
The practice, commonly referred to in China as “yin-yang drawings”, allowed operators to hide illegal mining sections from inspectors while continuing unregulated coal extraction.
According to state media, workers used fake walls made from wire mesh, woven plastic sacks and mortar to conceal hidden tunnels whenever inspections were carried out.
Investigators also found that subcontracted miners working in the concealed areas were not registered in official records and had not been provided with legally required location-tracking devices.
Authorities said official logs showed only 124 workers underground at the time of the explosion, but the real number was 247, meaning 123 workers were effectively unaccounted for within the mine’s monitoring systems.
The absence of tracking data and accurate underground maps significantly complicated rescue efforts after the blast.
State media further reported that the mine deliberately avoided installing gas-monitoring equipment despite being classified as a “high-gas mine”, increasing the risk of an explosion.
Chinese authorities said they would conduct a thorough investigation into the disaster and hold those responsible accountable.
According to Xinhua News Agency, regulators had previously fined the mine operator in 2025 after discovering concealed mining areas, but illegal production reportedly continued despite the penalties.
Following the incident, several coal mines across China have suspended or reduced operations while broader safety inspections are carried out.
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