The Sunjiawan mine disaster () was a
mine disaster that occurred on 14 February 2005 in
Fuxin
Fuxin () is a prefecture-level city in northwestern Liaoning province, People's Republic of China, bordering the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to the north. As of the 2020 census, its decreasing total population was 1,647,280 inhabitants (1,8 ...
city,
Liaoning
Liaoning () is a coastal province in Northeast China that is the smallest, southernmost, and most populous province in the region. With its capital at Shenyang, it is located on the northern shore of the Yellow Sea, and is the northernmost ...
province, in the northeastern part of the
People's Republic of China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
. Initial reports indicated that at least 214
coal miners
People have worked as coal miners for centuries, but they became increasingly important during the Industrial revolution when coal was burnt on a large scale to fuel stationary and locomotive engines and heat buildings. Owing to coal's strategic ro ...
were killed, making it the worst mining disaster in China in at least 15 years.
The disaster was a
gas explosion
A gas explosion is an explosion resulting from mixing a gas, typically from a gas leak, with air in the presence of an ignition source. In household accidents, the principal explosive gases are those used for heating or cooking purposes such as nat ...
that occurred about 3:50 p.m. local time at the Sunjiawan colliery of the Fuxin Coal Industry Group in the city of
Fuxin
Fuxin () is a prefecture-level city in northwestern Liaoning province, People's Republic of China, bordering the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to the north. As of the 2020 census, its decreasing total population was 1,647,280 inhabitants (1,8 ...
, about 242m (794 feet) underground. Twenty-two people were injured. The explosion reportedly occurred about ten minutes after an
earthquake
An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the shaking of the surface of the Earth resulting from a sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, from ...
shook the mine.
Chinese mine explosion kills 203
BBC news, 15 February 2005
See also
*Coal power in China
China is the largest producer and consumer of coal in the world. It is also the largest user of coal-generated electricity, with over a thousand coal-fired power stations. The share of coal in the energy mix declined during the 2010s, fall ...
*List of explosions
This is a list of accidental explosions and facts about each one, grouped by the time of their occurrence. It does not include explosions caused by terrorist attacks or arson, as well as intentional explosions for civil or military purposes. It ...
References
Sunjiawan mine disaster
2005 disasters in China
History of Liaoning
Coal mining disasters in China
{{Energy-stub