Eleven individuals tragically lost their lives in an accident at a coal mine in China’s northeastern Heilongjiang province on Tuesday as reported by state media outlet CCTV.
At 3 p.m. (0700 GMT), a catastrophic event transpired at the Shuangyang coal mine, operated by Heilongjiang Longmei Shuangyashan Mining Co, with initial indications pointing to a rock burst as the cause, as disclosed in the report.
CCTV further revealed that the cause of the accident is currently under investigation, shedding light on the potentially devastating impact of rock bursts, a phenomenon arising from violently fracturing rocks due to pent-up energy.
The report leaves a lingering question, failing to provide details on whether other individuals affected by the incident are still unaccounted for.
Despite repeated government appeals for stricter safety standards, China’s coal mines continue to witness a series of fatal accidents this year, underscoring persistent challenges as miners strive to increase coal output.