Zhang Heping, deputy director of the provincial department of emergency management, is suspected of “serious violations of discipline and law”, according to a statement released by the provincial discipline inspection and supervisory commission late on Wednesday.
The provincial anti-corruption watchdog explicitly linked Zhang to the devastating gas explosion at the Liushenyu Coal Mine, operated by the Tongzhou Group, last month, the statement said.
Workers blame China mine blast on safety breaches
The disaster occurred on May 22 at a facility in Qinyuan county, under the jurisdiction of Changzhi city. The underground blast killed 82 miners, left two missing, and a further 128 injured miners were admitted to hospital, making it China’s deadliest mining accident in over a decade.
Preliminary investigations exposed systemic safety failures, illegal mining practices and chronic mismanagement at the site, prompting direct intervention from Chinese President Xi Jinping, who demanded a thorough investigation and rigorous accountability.
Miners and industry experts previously said the mine appeared to be poorly managed, with ill-equipped workers, illegal mining activities and several past security fines.
The announcement was made on the same day the Ministry of Emergency Management launched a new, month-long round of central workplace safety inspections.
The State Council’s Work Safety Committee office has opened hotlines and online channels to gather public tips on major safety hazards, undeclared accidents and regulatory corruption. Some 24 central inspection teams have begun a nationwide wave of unannounced spot checks across all provinces.
