Probe blames firm, lax oversight for Yunnan mine outburst that killed 7; 40 face action
In short
The Yunnan bureau of the National Mine Safety Administration has published its investigation report into the coal and gas outburst at the Daying Coal Mine (大营煤矿) in Zhenxiong County, Zhaotong, which killed 7 people on 24 December 2025 and caused direct losses of 15.962 million yuan. The report finds it was a work-safety liability accident caused by the company's failure to meet its safety responsibilities and weak local coal mine safety oversight. Investigators recommended action against 40 people, 5 of whom, including the mine's legal representative and its director, have been handed to judicial authorities.
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The Yunnan bureau of the National Mine Safety Administration has published its investigation report into the 24 December 2025 coal and gas outburst at the Daying Coal Mine (大营煤矿), run by Daying Coal Mine Co., Ltd. in Zhenxiong County, Zhaotong, Yunnan province. The report concludes it was a work-safety liability accident caused by the company's failure to fulfil its primary safety responsibilities and by weak local coal mine safety oversight. CLS, Yicai and Jiemian carried the report citing CCTV News; China News Service reported it from Kunming. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
The outburst happened at about 20:01 on 24 December 2025 at the heading face of the 1503 transport roadway. It killed 7 people and caused direct economic losses of 15.962 million yuan. The Zhaotong city government activated its emergency plan and set up a rescue command; all 7 victims had been found by 15:32 on 27 December, when the rescue ended. A technical assessment put the outburst at 591 tonnes of coal and rock and 55,300 cubic metres of gas. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
According to the report as cited by China News Service, the direct cause was that after gas dynamic phenomena appeared in the 1503 transport roadway, the mine did not manage the seam as an outburst seam. Tectonic stress was concentrated at the site and the seam changed sharply, and with the outburst danger not eliminated, cutting by a roadheader disturbed the coal and rock and triggered the outburst. [ 4 ]
The investigation also found problems with the emergency response. Underground workers carried out self-rescue and mutual rescue and the mine took initial measures, but it did not call in full-time or part-time mine rescue teams at once; some equipment of the part-time rescue team had failed and the team took 57 minutes to assemble. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Investigators recommended holding 40 people accountable. Five, including the mine's legal representative and its director, were handed to judicial authorities. Eleven, including the mine's deputy directors for safety and for production, face suspension or revocation of safety qualification certificates and administrative fines. The legal representative and general manager of Yunnan Donghuang Coal Industry Group (云南东煌煤业集团有限责任公司) and 2 people from a coal mine safety technical service agency face fines, and 20 people from the Zhaotong Energy Bureau, Zhenxiong County and other bodies face Party and administrative discipline or organisational measures. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
The mine was fined, its safety production licence was suspended, and it was ordered to halt production for rectification and carry out an intelligent upgrade. Donghuang Coal Industry was fined, and the technical service agency was fined and ordered to suspend business for rectification. The Zhenxiong County and Zhaotong city energy bureaus and the Zhenxiong county Party committee and government were ordered to submit written self-criticisms. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The report places blame both on the mine operator and on local regulators: 20 officials, including from the Zhaotong Energy Bureau and Zhenxiong County, face Party and administrative discipline, and county and city bodies must submit written self-criticisms. The mine's safety production licence has been suspended and it has been ordered to halt production for rectification.
Key facts
- A coal and gas outburst at the Daying Coal Mine in Zhenxiong County, Zhaotong, Yunnan, at about 20:01 on 24 December 2025 killed 7 people. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Direct economic losses were 15.962 million yuan. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The outburst released 591 tonnes of coal and rock and 55,300 cubic metres of gas, according to a technical assessment. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The investigation found the mine did not manage the seam as an outburst seam after gas dynamic phenomena appeared, and continued tunnelling before the outburst danger was eliminated. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Investigators recommended holding 40 people accountable; 5, including the mine's legal representative and director, were handed to judicial authorities. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The part-time mine rescue team was not called at once, some of its equipment had failed, and it took 57 minutes to assemble. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The mine's safety production licence was suspended and it was ordered to stop production for rectification and carry out an intelligent upgrade. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The outburst at the Daying Coal Mine on 24 December 2025 killed 7 people and caused direct losses of 15.962 million yuan. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The report classifies it as a work-safety liability accident caused by the company's failure to meet its safety responsibilities and weak local safety oversight. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- 40 people face accountability measures, 5 of them handed to judicial authorities. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The mine's safety production licence was suspended and it was ordered to stop production for rectification. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- The exact date the report was published. The outlets say only that it was released recently.
- The names of the people handed to judicial authorities and the size of the fines. None of the documents names them or gives amounts.
- All 7 victims were found by 15:32 on 27 December, ending the rescue. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- 24 December 2025: coal and gas outburst at the Daying Coal Mine kills 7. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- 27 December 2025: all 7 victims found and rescue ends. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- 8 October 2026: CLS and Yicai report the published investigation findings. [ 1 , 2 ]
- 8 October 2026: Jiemian reports the findings. [ 3 ]
- 8 October 2026: China News Service reports the findings from Kunming. [ 4 ]