The collapse occurred around 4:30 a.m. local time on Sunday in Huize County. Emergency rescue teams managed to pull six individuals from the collapsed shaft and rush them to a local hospital, but only one survived. Authorities stated that the lone survivor is currently in stable condition. Official reports have not yet specified what type of mineral was being illegally targeted at the site, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Local authorities have immediately launched an investigation into the cause of the collapse, which has drawn intense scrutiny due to its timing.
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The incident follows a horrific gas explosion on May 22 at a coal mine in northern Shanxi province, which marked China’s deadliest mining accident since 2009. The Shanxi disaster left at least 82 people dead, 128 injured, and two workers still missing.
Chinese officials have promised a rigorous, top-level investigation into the Shanxi tragedy after preliminary findings exposed severe safety violations, including the existence of unmarked tunnels, missing tracking equipment for miners, and fake ventilation doors designed to deceive inspectors. This latest fatal collapse in Yunnan is expected to intensify the government’s crackdowns on unauthorized and unregulated mining operations across the country.
