The death toll from a gas explosion at a coal mine in northern China’s Shanxi province has jumped to 90, state media CCTV reported on Saturday.
The blast occurred at 7:29 pm (1129 GMT) on Friday at the Liushenyu coal mine in Shanxi province, according to state news agency Xinhua. A total of 247 workers were underground at the time, of whom 201 had been brought to the surface safely as of 6:00 am on Saturday, Xinhua said.
Xinhua had earlier reported that eight people have been confirmed dead, while 38 remain trapped underground, citing local emergency management authorities. President Xi Jinping urged “all-out efforts” to treat the injured and called for thorough investigations into the incident, Xinhua said.