Coal miners in northern China suffered a horrific and deadly tragedy on May 22, 2026. At the
Liushenyu Coal Mine in Shanxi province,
around 247 people had been deep underground, working in tunnels of the coal mines. Suddenly,
a gas line exploded, leading to a deadly buildup of carbon monoxide.
As of now, the government has officially estimated that
82 people died as a result of the mine explosion. This is the most deadly mining-related tragedy in China in the past 17 years.
Coal does not have a place in humanity's future. It is extraordinarily dangerous for workers, destroys our environment, and is replaceable with safe, clean alternatives. The Chinese government must prioritize the health of its people and the Earth and switch away from coal to green energy solutions instead! Sign the petition.After the gas line explosion 300 meters underground, water and debris poured into the blast area. Rescue workers rushed to try and save as many people as they could, but unfortunately, they were not able to locate everyone. At least 201 people were successfully evacuated, though around 123 needed emergency medical care.
Sadly, coal mining tends to be associated with these types of disasters. Just in China alone, the country has borne witness to a long list of mining tragedies. In 2009, 108 people died after another blast in a coal mine, that time in Heilongjiang province. In the decade before, several mining disasters had similar death tolls.
Meanwhile, coal is growing increasingly unnecessary.
China has committed to becoming a leader in the green energy transition, and in 2025, it actually experienced a remarkable reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. By November 2025, President Xi Jinping had pledged to reduce China's emissions by
up to 10% within the next 10 years. This stands in stark contrast to many other high-pollution, high-population countries like the United States.
Despite this, coal still supplies more than half of China's energy, and its coal infrastructure has been growing - not shrinking.
Scientists in China have already been on the cutting edge of all kinds of innovation - leading the way with wind and solar energy, and even dancing robots. Surely the government can prioritize sustainable advancement over deadly, dangerous coal production. Sign the petition!