Xi Jinping urges authorities to ‘spare no effort’ in rescue efforts after blast at mine in northern Shanxi province

BEIJING: A man nervously smoked a cigarette as he sat by a checkpoint, waiting for news of his older brother caught up in China's worst mining disaster in nearl

China’s world-beating coal production has helped shield its economy from the worst of the Iran war shock. Now the deadliest mining disaster in years is raising uncomfortable questions about the cost of that drive.

A dust-collection unit at the facility had exploded, triggering a blaze and causing one building to partially collapse.

A gas explosion at a coal mine in northern China has killed at least 90 people, state media report, the country's biggest mining disaster in 17 years.

Rescuers in northern China looked for survivors Sunday after the country’s deadliest coal mine explosion in recent years killed at least 82 people. An Associated Press reporter witnessed police and security guarding the entrance to the mining facility located in Qinyuan county in the city of Changzhi as emergency vehicles were on site.