An explosion in a coal mine in northern China resulted in at least 11 fatalities. The incident occurred late on Monday near the historic city of Yan'an in the mountainous province of Shaanxi, known for its significant mining industry. The explosion took place while 90 miners were in the shaft. The cause of the explosion is currently under investigation, as reported by the provincial Department of Emergency Management on social media. China, despite adopting wind and solar power sources, continues to heavily rely on coal for its energy needs, ranking as the world's largest producer and consumer of this resource.

This accident marks the deadliest incident since February when an open-pit mine collapse in Inner Mongolia resulted in over 50 fatalities. While there have been calls for safety enhancements from Chinese leadership, mining operations often prioritize profit over safety and local officials sometimes overlook corners being cut. China has experienced multiple fatal industrial and construction accidents lately, often due to inadequate safety regulations, lack of training, corruption, and profit motives. Despite such incidents, the total number of industrial accidents fell by 27% in 2022, attributed partly to the "zero COVID" policy which led to economic shutdowns, while the number of deaths decreased by 23.6%, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management.