A coal mine in Northern China, which for years had taken pride in an exemplary safety record, was the site of a gas explosion blast last Sunday. To date, the death toll has risen to at least 74 miners, while 114 others were hospitalized. It is not clear, though, if all the bodies have been recovered. Besides being China’s deadliest mine disaster in more than a year, this tragedy highlighted the many hazards of China’s mining industry which make it the deadliest in the world.

According to the official Xinhua News Agency, 436 miners were in the Tunlan Coal Mine when the blast occurred at about 2:17 a.m. The agency also said that most of the injured miners were suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning.

One survivor told Xinhua, “Power supply underground was cut off and we had to walk.” He added that he remembered being ordered to flee because their ventilation system had broken down. While he was equipped with an oxygen tank underground, he fainted after walking for 40 minutes.

The Tunlan Coal Mine is owned by Shanxi Coking Coal Group, the largest producer of coking coal, a raw material used in producing steel. Xinhua said besides operating 28 mines, the Tunlan Coal Mine has among the best facilities in China and has not had a major accident in the last five years.

According to a State Administration of Work Safety duty officer they are still investigating the cause of the explosion.

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