Coal Mine Accident In China’s Shanxi Province Kills At Least 19 People

At least 19 people were killed in a late-night coal mine accident in northern China Wednesday, local news sources reported Thursday, according to the Associated Press (AP). The incident occurred in an underground platform in a mine in Shuozhou city in Shanxi province, an official told Xinhua News Agency.

Of the total 129 people who were inside the mine at the time of the incident, 110 came out safely. The mine was run by Shanxi Datong Coal Mine Group, the AP reported, citing Xinhua.

In recent years, several mining accidents have been reported in the world's second-largest economy but increased safety regulations have led to lesser deaths. In December last year, two coal mine accidents in northeastern China killed 36 people in Liaoning and Heilongjiang province. In November, at least 21 people were killed in another mining accident in Heilongjiang province.

In April 2015, eight people were killed while 13 others were trapped in a mining accident in northern Shanxi province. However, the number of deaths has been on the decline as 931 people were reportedly killed in coal mine accidents in 2014, compared with 7,000 in 2002.