China's Xi Orders Rescue Efforts After Shanxi Coal Mine Blast Kills 8, Traps 38 The latest gas explosion in a Shanxi coal mine serves as a grim reminder that China's rapid industrialization has not yet translated into improved workplace safety standards.
President Xi Jinping has ordered "all out rescue efforts" and a thorough investigation.
China's coal industry has long been plagued by lax regulations, understaffing, and a culture of risk taking that prioritizes production over worker lives.