On June 7, 2026, Hong Kong media outlet Hong Kong01 reported that a gas explosion accident occurred at a coal mine in Shanxi Province, killing 82 people, and that corporate misconduct and the management responsibility of the authorities were being investigated. The article stated that a severe gas explosion accident occurred on May 22 at the Liushenyu Coal Mine of Shanxi Tongzhou Group, located in Qinyuan County, Changzhi City, Shanxi Province, killing 82 people, leaving 2 missing, and injuring 128. The authorities announced the accident on the evening of the following day, May 23. Furthermore, investigations following the accident revealed that the coal mine company had been operating with maps that did not reflect the actual conditions, and had committed serious illegal acts, such as providing inaccurate personnel reports. It also mentioned that this coal mine was included in the 'List of Coal Mines with High Disaster Risk' published by the National Mine Safety Administration in April 2024. Moreover, due to this accident, Zhao Yongjin (Zhao Yongjin), Secretary of the Qinyuan County Communist Party Committee, was dismissed on suspicion of serious disciplinary and legal violations, and is currently under investigation by the Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission and Supervisory Commission. Additionally, three other individuals from the same county's Emergency Management Bureau — Sun Xiaoye (Sun Xiaoye), Director; Yue Xiaodong (Yue Xiaodong), Deputy Team Leader; and Zhang Qian (Zhang Qian), First Team Leader — are also undergoing disciplinary review and supervisory investigation on suspicion of serious disciplinary and legal violations. According to the article, regarding this matter, Hu Xijin (Hu Xijin), former editor-in-chief of Global Times, commented, 'Shanxi Province is an area with a lot of underground mining and high accident risk, but this accident has become the worst in scale since 2007.' (Edited/Translated by Kawajiri)