On the afternoon of March 30, 2026, an explosion occurred at the Tiefeng Mountain Tunnel, which is currently under construction in northeastern Chongqing, China. An official report released on the 31st confirmed that the incident resulted in 4 fatalities and 9 injuries. A reference image of the Tiefeng Mountain Tunnel is provided. (Video screenshot)
[People's Daily Report] China is one of the countries with the highest incidence of major accidents and the most accidental deaths globally. On March 30, an explosion took place at the Tiefeng Mountain Tunnel, which is being constructed by China Railway 12th Bureau in Chongqing, in the afternoon of the 31st. The official report indicated that the incident led to 4 deaths and 9 injuries.
Workers: Living in Constant Fear
According to a situation report from the Transportation Committee of Wanzhou District, Chongqing, around 15:10 on the 30th, a suspected combustible gas explosion occurred in the left tunnel of the Tiefeng Mountain Tunnel (A2 contract section) of the national highway from Enshi to Guangyuan. This project is funded by Chongqing Wankai Da Highway Co., Ltd. and constructed by China Railway 12th Bureau Group Co., Ltd., resulting in 1 person missing and 12 injuries at the scene.
As of 0:00 on March 31, the missing individual was located but showed no signs of life, and an additional 3 individuals “died after unsuccessful rescue attempts.” The construction site involved has since been shut down.
The Epoch Times spoke with a local resident, Xie Feng (pseudonym), who worked on blasting at the tunnel last year. Concerned about safety issues, he resigned from his position this year. He informed The Epoch Times that he heard the accident was caused by the excavation team striking hydrogen sulfide gas, with sparks from a grinding machine igniting the gas.
He mentioned that despite the tunnel having ventilation and vertical shaft ventilation, the ventilation effect is likely inadequate, and there are safety risks such as rock bursts and water inflow. 'After we discovered toxic gases last year, we really couldn't continue working, so we halted operations. The blasting was completely stopped on December 28 last year.'
He expressed that he was constantly anxious while working every day. 'I lived in fear every day, silently praying for divine protection before heading to work. When I arrived, I would carry a compressed air tank on my back and wear a gas mask. After the blasting, I would take a deep breath of fresh air at the tunnel exit, thinking, " This time it’s safe!'
The Tiefengshan Tunnel, located between Wanzhou District and Kaizhou District in Chongqing City, is the longest municipal mountain tunnel in China and a critical control project for the entire Wankai Expressway (G5012 Enshi to Guangyuan National Expressway, Chongqing section). The left line measures 8,635 meters, the right line measures 8,614 meters, totalling 17,249 meters. Construction of the tunnel commenced on February 20, 2023, with an expected completion date in 2027.
Frequent Accidents at China Railway 12th Bureau
Media reports indicate that China Railway 12th Bureau Group Co., Ltd. has recently encountered several accidents.
For instance, on February 2 of this year, at 17:46, during the construction of the Lianshen Line's Yuegang Bridge, which is contracted by China Railway 12th Bureau, a cable-stayed arch beam collapsed, resulting in 5 fatalities.
On September 1, 2025, a tower crane collapsed at a construction site of China Railway 22nd Bureau in Chengdu, leading to 5 deaths.
On March 2, 2021, a lifting accident occurred during hoisting operations at the Tianjin Jing-Tang Fourth Standard Mixing Station, which was constructed by the bureau, resulting in the death of one worker.
China Railway 12th Bureau Group Co., Ltd. (referred to as China Railway 12th Bureau) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC), headquartered in Taiyuan, Shanxi. It was formerly known as the Second Division of the Railway Corps and is a major construction enterprise with 'double special-grade' qualifications in railway, highway, housing construction, and municipal engineering.
CRCC is a large central enterprise, yet accidents involving China Railway projects have been alarmingly frequent. In January of this year, a crane collapsed at the China-Thailand high-speed railway, jointly constructed by China Railway and Yitai Development Company, resulting in 2 deaths and 5 injuries. Last March, the National Audit Office building in Bangkok, which collapsed during an earthquake, was also a collaborative project between these two companies.
On August 22 of last year, during the construction of the Qinghai section of the Sichuan-Qinghai Railway by China Railway's wholly-owned subsidiary, China Railway Bridge Bureau Group, a steel strand broke during the tensioning operation, causing the collapse of a 108-meter steel beam main arch. This incident led to 12 fatalities and 4 individuals reported missing.
With the frequency of accidents involving China Railway enterprises, netizens on the mainland have voiced their dissatisfaction: 'It's China Railway again!' 'Has China Railway been this reckless in the past two years?' 'Is our infrastructure failing?' 'Corruption among officials and cutting corners in projects; it's no wonder accidents happen!'
In the first three months of this year, there has been a notable increase in accidents.
During this period, China has witnessed several major construction accidents that have resulted in casualties.
On February 17, the first day of the Lunar New Year, a tourist boat capsized at the Lianxi Bay Resort in Donghua Township, Chuxiong City, Yunnan Province. Initial reports from state media indicated that four people drowned, with two confirmed dead. However, netizens later revealed that there should have been over twenty people on board, raising suspicions about a potential cover-up by the authorities.
On February 18, a fireworks store in Zhengji Town, Yicheng City, Hubei Province, suddenly caught fire and exploded. State media reported that this explosion resulted in 12 fatalities, but the actual number of casualties remains unclear.
On January 18, around 3 PM, an explosion occurred at the Baotou Steel Rare Earth Plate Factory in Baotou City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Officials stated that the incident led to 9 deaths, with one person still unaccounted for.
On March 19 at 11:49 AM, a significant explosion occurred in the industrial park of the Tengger Economic and Technological Development Zone in Alxa League, Inner Mongolia. The blast generated a massive yellow-black 'mushroom cloud' that rolled and ascended into the sky, with thick smoke blocking out the sun and shockwaves reaching a radius of over 20 kilometres. Authorities reported that the incident resulted in 2 deaths.
It is mandated that the death toll in each accident must not exceed 35.
China is among the countries with the highest incidence of large-scale accidents and fatalities globally, including incidents related to transportation, coal mining, factories, tunnels, and other engineering mishaps. Observant internet users have noted that the death toll reported by Chinese media for major accidents rarely exceeds 35. Through research and comparison, netizens have found that even regarding the death toll from accidents, the Chinese Communist Party authorities and their propaganda apparatus engage in blatant falsification.
Some netizens have pointed out that in the case of large-scale accidents, 'if the death toll exceeds 36, the municipal party secretary at that level must be dismissed.'
Netizens have uncovered several major accidents with a reported death toll of 35 through online searches:
In April 1993, a train collided with a bus in Dashiqiao City, Liaoning Province, resulting in 35 fatalities.
In March 1995, a fire at a shopping mall in Anshan, Liaoning Province, led to 35 deaths.
In November 1995, over 40 counties (cities) in Shandong Province were struck by a storm, causing 35 fatalities.
In June 1996, a counterfeit liquor incident in Qujing, Yunnan Province, resulted in 35 deaths.
In May 1997, an air disaster at Huangtian Airport in Shenzhen claimed 35 lives.
In August 2001, a sleeper bus in Xinjiang fell into a canal from the Xinshi Canal Bridge, resulting in 35 fatalities.
In July 2003, an explosion at a fireworks factory in Xinji City, Hebei Province, killed 35 people.
In July 2003, a water inrush incident at a coal mine in Zaozhuang, Shandong Province, resulted in 35 deaths.
In August 2003, a landslide in Sansui County, Guizhou Province, caused 35 fatalities.
In February 2003, a gas explosion in Liupanshui, Guizhou Province, resulted in 35 deaths.
In December 2003, an explosion at a fireworks factory in Tieling, Liaoning Province, killed 35 people.
In August 2004, a mining accident in Linfen, Shanxi Province, resulted in 35 deaths.
In March 2005, an explosion on a highway in Shangrao, Jiangxi Province, led to 35 fatalities.
In March 2005, a water inrush incident at a coal mine in Xin'an, Henan Province, resulted in 35 deaths.
In April 2006, an explosion in Xinzhou, Shanxi Province, caused 35 fatalities.
In July 2006, a flood in the Yaogang Xian tungsten mine area in Hunan Province resulted in 35 deaths or missing persons.
In July 2006, a typhoon in Guangxi Province caused 35 fatalities.
In July 2007, heavy rain in Chongqing resulted in 35 deaths.
In July 2007, heavy rain in Shandong Province led to 35 fatalities. In November 2007, a gas explosion accident in Bijie, Guizhou, claimed the lives of 35 people.
In the same month, a rockfall on the Yiwang Railway in Hubei also resulted in 35 fatalities.
In May 2008, a tourist bus was caught in a landslide in Aba County, leading to 35 deaths.
In July 2008, an explosion at a coal mine in Yuxian, Hebei, caused 35 fatalities.
In November 2008, a mudslide in Yunnan resulted in 35 deaths.
In September 2009, a mining disaster in Pingdingshan, Henan, led to 35 fatalities.
In June 2010, floods in Fujian, Guangxi, and Sichuan resulted in 35 deaths.
In June 2011, heavy rainfall in Hubei and Hunan caused 35 fatalities.
In July 2011, a collision between high-speed trains in Wenzhou resulted in 35 deaths.
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