Rescuers dig for bodies after a mining explosives blast in Myanmar kills
at least 43
[June 02, 2026]
By GRANT PECK
BANGKOK (AP) — More than a dozen rescue and charity groups used
excavation machinery to recover bodies Monday after a massive blast from
stored mining explosives in northeastern Myanmar.
The explosion occurred at midday Sunday in Kaungtup village, Namhkam
township in Shan state near the Chinese border.
The Ta’ang National Liberation Army, the ethnic rebel group that
controls the area, said in a statement Monday evening that the death
toll from the blast has reached 43, including seven children. Previous
estimates from rescue workers had ranged from 38 to 45. Determining the
exact toll has been complicated because bodies were blown apart by the
force of the explosion.
The group said 112 people, including 25 children, were injured, with 37
in critical condition, raising concerns that the number of fatalities
could increase.
“Rescue operations and the compilation of casualty figures were still
underway,” said the statement.
Many of Myanmar’s resource-rich areas, where most mining operations have
been largely unregulated, are controlled by different armed militias
engaged in sporadic fighting against the central government to seek
greater autonomy. Accidents, such as deadly landslides, are fairly
common.
TNLA said Sunday's blast involved gelignite used in local mining and
stone quarrying. Although gelignite is commonly used, it becomes highly
unstable over time when improperly stored.
Residents of the 200-household village reported that they were never
told explosives were being kept there.
An investigation into the specific cause of the explosion is underway,
the TNLA said.
The incident has cast a spotlight on Myanmar’s lucrative but largely
unregulated mineral industry and Chinese investment in the country's
extractive industries.
Two local residents told The Associated Press on Monday that mines
producing raw materials for silicon metal — a key industrial substance
used in semiconductors, solar panels, and aluminum alloys — are located
in mountainous areas about 15 kilometers (10 miles) southwest of Namhkam
town.
The residents, who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect their
safety, said the mines are operated jointly by the TNLA and Chinese
businessmen and are inaccessible to most residents. The claim couldn’t
be independently verified by the AP.
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This photo provided by Ta'ang women organization shows debris caused
by an explosion Namhkam township, Shan State, Myanmar, Sunday, May
31, 2026. (Ta'ang women organization via AP)
Myanmar’s mining industry is a major global provider of rare earth
elements, copper, tin, and precious gems, especially jade and
rubies, and is the main supplier to China, where the extracted
materials are processed and refined.
China maintains a complex role as a top ally to Myanmar’s
military-backed government while also fostering relations with the
ethnic minority groups.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian in Beijing expressed
deep condolences and confirmed that a Chinese national injured in
the blast is receiving medical treatment. Beijing has pledged
assistance in handling the aftermath.
The TNLA, part of the Three Brotherhood Alliance, seized control of
the Namhkam area in late 2023 during a major offensive against the
military government. This conflict is part of the broader turmoil
following the February 2021 military coup, which ousted the elected
government of Aung San Suu Kyi and triggered widespread armed
resistance.
While the TNLA signed a China-mediated ceasefire with the military
in late 2023, peace in the region is shaky and extraction of
minerals and gemstones provides critical income for both the central
government and the rebel groups fighting against it.
___
Associated Press writers Anton Delgado in Bangkok and E. Eduardo
Castillo in Beijing contributed to this report.
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