Shafaq News- Beijing

At least 82 workers were killed after a gas explosion in a coal mine in northern China, state media reported on Saturday.

China’s official Xinhua news agency said the explosion occurred last night at the Liuxinyo coal mine in Shanxi province. 247 workers were underground at the time of the blast, with rescue operations still ongoing.

Shanxi province is at the center of China’s coal industry. Despite major investments in renewable energy, China remains the world’s largest coal consumer and the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases.