The China coal disaster. An explosion in a mine. Bodies pulled from the wreckage.
But the story is not just about the victims. It is about what was hidden. Secret tunnels.
Unregistered workers. A systemic failure. The parallels with UK history are stark.
After the 1966 Aberfan disaster, the UK overhauled mining safety. The reason was simple: a lack of oversight and a culture of cutting corners. Now, China faces a similar reckoning.
The tunnels were dug to bypass inspections. The workers were off the books. No safety training.
No insurance. This is not a one-off. It is a pattern.
The political pressure on Beijing is mounting. But will it lead to real change? Or will it be swept under the rug?
The Westminster playbook would suggest a select committee. A few headlines. Then quiet.
But China's mining sector is massive. The deaths are regular. The question is whether Xi's push for 'safe development' can survive this test.
The world is watching. Unregistered workers. Secret tunnels.
It echoes the worst of UK's industrial past. And the worst of its present, as we saw in the Grenfell Tower disaster. The lesson is always the same: when regulation is weak, people die.
The China coal disaster is not just a tragedy. It is a warning.
