Safety inspections sweep China's mines after deadly Shanxi accident

A wave of safety inspections swept through China's mining regions over the weekend, with local officials descending into underground worksites following a deadly coal mine accident in North China's Shanxi province that had left 82 people dead as of Saturday night.

Zhao Qingqiang, Party secretary of Shuicheng district in Liupanshui, Guizhou province, traveled underground at local coal mines on Saturday to inspect production conditions and review safety procedures, according to local media reports.

Wearing protective gear and accompanied by workers, Zhao urged companies to strengthen on-site management, equipment maintenance, and worker training.

On Sunday, Zhang Dingchao, Party secretary of Liupanshui, conducted a surprise inspection at another coal mine in the district. He reviewed underground personnel positioning systems and equipment operations through surveillance platforms, and spoke by phone with managers working underground about gas control and safety management.

Elsewhere, in Huangmei county of Huanggang, Hubei province, county chief Liu Ting led a safety inspection Sunday morning at a gypsum mining company, local media reported.

Liu said miner tracking devices and entry-registration systems serve as the "primary safeguard" for workers underground, urging companies to strictly enforce real-name registration systems to ensure emergency responders can quickly locate and evacuate miners if accidents occur.

In Xing'an district of Hegang, Heilongjiang province, vice-district head Han Yang also inspected major coal mines on Sunday, focusing on identifying hidden safety risks and pushing companies to strengthen responsibility for workplace safety.

In Shanxi's Jincheng, Zezhou county Party Secretary Chai Zhe carried out a late-night underground inspection at a local coal mine on Saturday, while the county chief Wu Xiaoya also inspected another mining company on Sunday.

Hu Qing contributed to this story.